Not sure how to rank this. Tasted along with 50 other wines, all exceptional. This came across as balanced - fruit, tannins, everything. There wasn't a single thing that jumped out, but that's what made it great, especially compared to other wines. Great wine.
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A bottle that was tucked away -- we forgot about it! An older style, medium bodied, actually decent tannins that dissipated as it was open. Nice to try!
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Part of a 2008 to 2010 dinner with my wine group. This was my favorite, although by vote, not the group favorite. Opened, but not decanted for over 45 minutes before pouring. Once again the cork broke and I had to work some magic to get the bottle open without ending up with cork in the wine! I've had this happen frequently with Anderson's wines from the mid 2000s. I'm not sure why. Anyway, full bodied with a long finish.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, currant, mint and lead pencil. Flavors of blackberry, black cherry, currant, plum and melt chocolate. Ends with a 40-45 second finish with blackberry and currant notes. Doesn’t seem like it aged at all since the last time I had it. Although a great wine not sure I would rate this as high as I did previously.
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Awesome. Really,it is. Even at this age, the brightness is there. Yes the fruit has faded, but only a bit. It is still open and inviting and absolutely gorgeous!
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2nd bottle 5 years removed from the first. Deep eggplant red with some orange fade at the rim. Semi sweet nose of blackberry, black cherry and maple syrup. Taste is similar but with smokey charcoal notes. Ultra smooth tannins at this point and medium acidity. Well balanced flavor. Nice elegant mouthfeel
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Drinking very well, but cold easily go another 6-8 years & maybe more. Rich & dark, luxurious deeply scented fruit, baking spice, earth, creosote. Very satisfying. Just a shade better than red-fruited 2013 Stony Hill Napa Cab drunk same nite.
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This is drinking great right now, could last several more years probably with no problem. Notes of dark cherry and light hint of tobacco. Touch of sulfur on the nose (minerally), sweet but very subtle fruits. Notes of burnt sugars on the nose as well. It's a fun one, worth the wait for sure. Had ours in our cellar for 11.5 years.
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Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age. Sweet, pipe tobacco and black cherries, touch of VA, dry autumn leaves, some green stems. Smooth and minty, cassis and plums, raspberry reduction, modest acidity and tannin at this point, touch of cigar ash, very good long finish. Excellent Napa Cab, not overblown at all (the 15.3% alcohol is surprisingly well integrated). Drinking very well now.
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Dry with tart, dark fruits and some crushed rocks. Medium bodied smooth tannins and good acidity. Brief 30 min decant, but did not improve much after 2 hours. This was outdone by a more robust 2008 Padis Cabernet. Not sure if this was an off bottle, but it lacked flavor and seemed tired.
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Magnificent, elegant wine. Two huge fans at this table. A little cigar box and slight peppery nose, then ethereal fruit, then soft road tar-like tannins on the backside, with a long finish. Can't wait to see how this evolves, but I guess I have to.
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I thought this was very good but not quite great. It is almost 50 percent Napa Cab and 50 percent Bordeaux in taste. The tannins are fully integrated. It has a medium plus body with medium acidity. In all fairness to this wine, I prefer Napa Cabs over Bordeaux. The taste profile is dark fruited and pleasant with slight complexity.
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See notes from three months ago. Nothing much has changed - slightly softer and slightly more complex. Drinks more like a Bordeaux, not an overblown Napa fruitbomb.
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Short cork, bottom fifth wet and infiltrated just a bit. Deep purple, heady full bouquet of chassis and yeast and grape must, really nice. First taste fruit wonderful and fully ready. Oh so rich, tannins still in the fight but now not astringent but a part of the wine. Really great cab, so thick with flavor, so youthful, so mature. This is so cabernet and a prime example of why its my favorite varietal. CT ratings say 2037 but if you have any try now. It won't disappoint. One of a few wines I was sorry to have the last of. Recommended, and CT says until 2037. I would feel comfortable with 8 more years but it wouldn't surprise me to see it make that distant mark.
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No reason to change my score from a previous bottle 20 months ago. Holding up just fine and gaining complexity. Nice nose, slightly restrained on the palate, medium body, and a killer finish. In a blind tasting, I would have pegged it as a 2nd growth Bordeaux, not a Napa cabernet. Not flashy and showy, but Yowza.
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5th of 6 bottles. Beautifully made Napa Cab, luxuriously chewy tannins, moderate acidity, and a long and yummy finish. This is a great California wine, showing all the glitz and glam that comes with Napa, but Conn Valley Vineyards doesn't go "too far" by becoming gloppy or too unctuous. Drink through 2024.
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This was simply fantastic. Absolutely the right time to open this bottle. I love it when a good winery will hit a home run with a particular vintage. I really like Conn Valley but this was on another plane. What a bargain in terms of QPR from Napa. I wish I had more.
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I am normally a fan of this wine, but tonight’s bottle was a slight disappointment. The fruit is fading into secondary notes while the tannins remain strong. It is starting to soften overall which is nice, but it seems to be running out of steam. Was hoping for more.
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Such a fantastic and well balanced cab !!!! This wine easily makes the list of my Top 20 of all time. Curious enough, when I first had a sip I scored it 92-93, but then after a few minutes the wine changed dramatically from being closed to a fully open wine. Extremely delicius cherries and raspberries with not a hint of heat. I wish I had 2 cases, sadly I only have about 4 bottles left. This wine is impossible to dissapoint.
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This wine restored my faith in cabs! In recent years, my tastes have moved progressively towards syrahs and pinots, and away from cabs and Bordeaux blends. But this Anderson Napa cab is enough to make anyone a cab fan - if they were all in the same ballpark of goodness of this one, which of course they aren't.
After carefully decanting to eliminate the sediment, this is immediately wonderful. Perfectly balanced with ample fruit, present yet softened tannins, just enough acid to be interesting, and faint sweetness to support the fruit. Wood is subdued yet present. Perfectly ready to drink now. Will it improve further? Not for my tastes, although it might retain its beauty for several more years.
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I will not belabor readers with another glowing review of this fabulous wine. But do let me share a bit. While friends and family drank Champagne on New Year’s Eve, I drank this wine. In fact I drank a whole bottle that had it all--flavor, balance, finish and silky smoothness. Simply delicious. Over-indulgent? Yes, but I am better for it. 98 points.
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It’s been nine years since I last tasted this wine. What a glorious nine years it’s been. This is a fantastic wine. I think I over scored it initially but that was a long time ago. It’s really a wonderful experience. Amazing deep, dark red fruit nose. With a dry, dusty sense to it. Ripe blackberry and cherry with dusty, earthy undertones. Just awesome. Soft entry with mature, dark fruit flavors. This is a fantastic wine, worthy of much praise. I’m thankful to have two bottles remaining. This is drinking perfectly now!
I am really sorry that this was my last bottle of this beautiful wine. It exhibits Lots of dark and red fruits, wonderful structure and complexity and a nice medium to long finish. The tannins are velvety and the overall wine punches way above its weight class in taste and value.
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Here it is 4 years later since the last time I tried this wine and I find it to be about the same as it was then and gave it the same score. Just as then, I still can't believe the much higher scores other reviewers give it even as of this year.
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Starting to show itself with some classic aged Napa cabernet flavors. Tannins have integrated nicely. I like where it is now as we could see some concerns later with higher alcohol level of 15.3. Alcohol level not a concern now. Stored at 55 degrees since release.
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On the nose there is a sensually warm earthiness laced with seductive aromas of red and blue fruit compote, cedar, tobacco, leather and more than a hint of camphor wood. In the mouth the wine is gloriously silky, with tastes of primary red fruit, stewed black fruit, chocolate milk, vanilla, anise and a salty umami component. There is also a vivacious acidity that amplifies the fruit flavors and extends the lush finish, even in the midst of burgeoning tertiary notes. As for the tannins, they are fully and beautifully integrated. Yes, this is a gorgeous, balanced and delicious mature wine. Well-stored bottles should age and please for at least another dozen years. 98+ points and the best ACV cab to date. (This has become a reliably delicious old friend. It was served with yet another Easter leg of lamb and the paring was once again spectacular.)
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Consistent with a bottle six weeks ago - Yowza! Not "hedonistically" rich and certainly not a vanilla-laden fruit bomb. It is, however, quite complex and has a terrific finish. More old world than new. Ready to drink, but should hold for years.
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I have had other vintages of this wine, but this one was in the right place, poised and ready to take names. Served pop and pour, not sure decanting time was required at all. This one had dark fruit with a little bit of herb, black licorice, mature tobacco, leather, you name it it was here at least a little bit. I am struggling to not give this one a 96, which it just might be worthy. This is a great example of a wonderfully done, perfectly balanced traditional Napa Cabernet. No doubt this one could hold another 15 years or so, but in all honesty I feel this one is in a really prime spot right now.
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This is just epic. Perfectly aged, ready to drink on PnP. Med-Full bodied. So many layers of complexity and just flat out delicious. Perfect filet minon pairing. Doubt it will get much better. Drink up!
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This wine took two days to display what it really has. First days was Sunday; muted, deep red, but power in reserve. Didn't touch the second, but on Tuesday the wine was in top form. Beautiful fruit, deep and dense. Wonderfully balanced but fruit by far was the star. Savored every sip. Can see why WA saying decades of life. I don't think 10 more years would be far fetched for trying another. Needs lots of air at this point. Highly recommended.
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1 hour decant and drank in the parking lot before a concert (George Thorogood - a/k/a "Bad to the Bone"). Nice slightly opaque purple. Primarily berry driven (blackberries and blueberries) with notes of slate, baker's cocoa and cloves. Still some heat from the alcohol and pretty high acidity. Tannins are soft and well integrated. Medium plus body with a good amount of sediment at the end of the bottle. This aged much better than George. About 92-93.
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My friend Michael opened and decanted for a few hours. The nose was red and black fruit. The wine opened in the glass as very fruit forward. Berries and dark cherries on the nose, The palate was berry, cherry, plum, red meat and a touch of cigar box on the finish which was moderate to long.
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My 3rd bottle of this and this wine is just singing along and delivers all the nuances, flavors and pleasure that a Cali-Cab should at a still decent price.
Wow! This is the best Napa cabernet I've ever had. Aged just right. Explosive aroma of ripe fruits, deep color and taste. If you can find this under $150/bottle, this is a very good buy.
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Decanted 2 hours. Seems to be in a nice spot now with complexity and layering on full display. Slightly roasted yet ripe red/blue fruit leads into an explosion of milk chocolate, cassis, cloves, iron, dried herbs... Still a touch of prickly alcohol around the edges with tannins that softly grip. In the zone now but 3-5 additional years will not hurt it. This will make it another 10.
Decanted for almost 3 hours. Aromas of blackberry, currant, dried cherry and touch of iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, iron and dash of cocoa. Ends with an incredible finish of blackberry and currant that has to be close to a minute. Probably the best Anderson Conn Valley wine I have ever had. Still has a long life ahead.
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I served two well-aired bottles with Easter dinner. Once again, absolutely spectacular in color, aroma and depth of otherworldly black fruit flavors. The latter simply go on and on. A perfect match for the rich leg of lamb and loved by everyone at the table. And I came off as the culinary genius.
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I will not repeat everything I said in my last review because nothing has changed—this is a great wine and a privilege to drink. Now if only I could find another well-stored case…
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Bought 6 bottles, this is my 3rd. Decanted an hour before consuming, and enjoyed with bone-in ribeye and baked potatoes. This bottle is quite delicious, showing off gorgeous, perfectly ripened blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, with a hint of green pepper and soil notes, as well as some mint in the upper register. The palate shows a full bodied, beautifully structured wine, with nicely balanced and refreshing acidity, to support the big fruit flavors. The tannins are refined yet still show great grip and tension, leading into a long and black-fruited finish. This is a Napa stunner, and is my wife's favorite Cabernet...from anywhere. I admit, a hard one to deny...drink this beauty through 2025.
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Outstanding wine, beautiful aromatics, dark blue and black fruit, well balanced tannins and long finish. Much improved from a split we had several years to early. Drinking amazingly well.
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It has been over two years since I drank this wine. Boy was it worth the wait! It is still tremendously gorgeous but a bit smoother and more hedonistic. The ripe fruit flavors are seamless from front to back and the secondary ones are richer and earthier. This remains a big, big wine in the mouth but eschews flashiness for class, depth and persistence. And the remaining dry tannins are beautifully integrated. It is still a fantastic wine and does California proud.
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My first bottle of this beauty, which has been nestling in my cellar since mid-2011. It is now fully integrated and ready to go. Upon pouring, the color is a mid-dark garnet in the glass, with a medium body, and strong legs. The aromas leap from the crystal upon swirling -- bright, big, fruit-filled, enticing, and energetic. The palate is filled with robust and round flavors of cassis, black cherry, and blackberry, with a finish of autumnal spices and madagascar vanilla. Superb balance, luscious tannins, and showing very well right now. The next bottle may make a showing on our Thanksgiving table!
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Opened via Coravin. Full throttle nose at PNP. Spice , cedar, mint and vanilla nose. Dark red. Spiced red apples, cinnamon , dark cherry and black currants. Excellent structure, young, but with air drinking well. Tart red fruit. Nice texture and length. Well done !
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I opened this out of Patriotism, this being July 4. I am in a very silent minority though. Most reviews on Cellar Tracker rate this wine in the mid-nineties but I am reluctant to even inch it up to the high "80's. Why? Because there is a sea of wines at a fraction of the price point that will give you what you are looking for. Want fruit power and a punch in your face? Then buy a bottle of Martini Cabernet for about $17.00 a bottle. Want as much fruit and vitality but with a bit more balance? Then drink a bottle of Chinon, which will set you back less than $30 I imagine. Want to go old school and drink one of the early pioneers of California Cabernet but don't want to shell out more than $100? My suggestion would be to buy the second label of Montelena or Spotteswoode. Even better, buy a bottle of cabernet from the 1993 vintage, say Dunn, at auction for less than $75 -- and taste a wine from the golden age of California wine making before it was ruined by Robert Parker. At least that is my POV.
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On a night of epic Cabs, this stood out. Perfectly balanced, still excellent structure and fruit. Drinking with the guy who made it added to the enjoyment.
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Decanted for about an hour and beginning to open. A dark, brooding wine, impenetrable purple to the eye, with blue-black fruits, tar, spice, a touch of green pepper, and significant acidity to provide some freshness. Long finish. Probably much better in five years.
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Very good, very fruit forward, a bit tart at first, better after 2 hours of air. In a very good drinking window right now but I think this will continue to drink well for several years.
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Big, ripe nose! Loaded with sweet fruit, spice and flowers. This needs several more years to become mature, this is delicious now with a long future ahead of it. As with some other vintages of this wine, a bit more acidic than I'd expect. 95+
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- Medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body with a long finish - This is an incredible bottle of wine. Enjoyed with a filet mignon. Exceptional fruit, acidity, balance, followed by a long finish. Very enjoyable.
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Drank with cheese assortment and salame on Xmas eve. Decanted for about 45 min before drinking and cooled to around 60 deg. This was an enjoyable cab, but I think it will be better to wait on my other bottles. This has lots of fruit, balanced by good acidity. But is is still quite primary and is not yet showing much complexity (the '07 is more complex at this stage, IMO). The finish also still has just a touch of bitterness. This is certainly drinkable now, but I think it will be better in the future.
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Enjoyed with filet mignon this evening. My wife and I drained the bottle over dinner. A bit primary upon opening, this wine really opened up over the course of an hour (we did not decant the wine, to it's detriment). Black cherry and cassis fruit, some mild anise or perhaps eucalyptus, followed by a rocky/chalky creosote finish. The wine was not hot, and showed beautiful balance, especially after being opened an hour. The tannins are still present, but are definitley wearing down nicely with some bottle age, and the fruit is there in spades to still support the wine and give the true Napa feel. Drink now through 2024+.
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Coravin taste. Starting to show a bit of herbal secondaries that are very nice. Still big and probably better in a few years, but this is shaping up nicely. Liked better than '08 Hall and '08 Lewis cabs
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2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Night (Lincoln Squre Steaks, Amsterdam Ave, New York City): This is a tough one to rate. Ultimately it was slightly disappointing with a heavy mouthfeel and notes of stewed fruit on the palate. About half of my 8 person group also felt it was very (and too much so) acidic. I wanted to love this, but ended up only liking it.
All that being said, one person to our group was an hour late, but we had poured him a glass. He thought it was great, with none of the cooked fruit and high acid flavors. I took a sip, and a lot of that blew off. But I can't rate it on that one sip. But with the right conditions, this could edge into 92 point territory.
No where near the 97 points Parker gave it, but still very respectable. I'll try another bottle in a six months, and let it breathe much longer.
A four-year vertical tasting of Anderson's Conn Estate Reserve Cabernets: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
The 2008 ranked #2, primarily because the 2007 and 2009 were fairly disappointing overall. The 2008 hovered in the 88-89 point range, but just barely.
It had reserved notes of red current, some purple plum, wood, and a little earth. Straight forward and simple, lacking depth of flavor; tight mid-palate, with a muted finish. Air did not help much, with the wood and watery plum notes repeating on the back end.
This has a couple of years of life in it, but not much beyond that. I would drink now, sans decanting.
not as enthusiastic as i was 2 1/2 years ago but still a solid effort and great drinking new world napa cab...surprised this has nearly doubled in price since release and can't say i'd pay current prices...diminishing returns post 2023?
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'08s for the Elite Eight (The Apt): Maybe the most approachable early on of all of the reds. It was decanted and served prob within 30 minutes. The most fruit forward of the wines this was easy drinking, well integrated. Perhaps not quite the future depth of the others we tried, but one of the tasty ones today.
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Damn this wine is banging! I should've started the evening with a "starter" wine which is what I usually do when we open a great wine. I can't believe this is at the eight year mark as it still was fresh and needed decanting but wow as we drank this the nose opened up with dark red fruits and tons of cassis. Long, long finish and this wine can go five, ten years.
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This 2008 Anderson's Conn Valley is a tremendous vintage. Excellent structure with tannins for a nice steak, lots of fruit, great nose so I had to buy more bottles.
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Drank this at Keens Steakhouse in NYC with Madigan. Some tannins at pop n pour. After the first taste, the wine was decanted. This is pretty dark. Some cedar and cigarbox. Some oak. This wine is young, and not subtle. Some fruit. Big and juicy. You can hang on to your bottle for another 5 - 10 years easy.
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Big, juicy, a lot of dark fruits. As it warmed from the cellar the alcohol starting coming through just a bit. Probably has several more years ahead of it but another wine I might not wait too long on (will the alcohol overwhelm when the fruit starts to fade? I hope not, but not sure I want to take that chance)...
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(From a split.) The gorgeous flavors, impressive length, nimble balance and overall polished presentation still inspire awe. On this occasion the nose was ever so slightly muted, even after an hour in the glass. Still, 97 well-deserved points.
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Very nice and promising but still primary. Decanted 2 hours but seems to still be closed down. Showed a bit one dimensional. Improved more so after 4 hours in glass. I'd give it another few years relaxing.
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All you want in a perfectly balanced California Cab. Great nose including subtle elements ofdark fruit, toasted oak and leather. Rich, full, and layered mouthfeel followed by nice finish. Fully integrated. Great to drink now or leave cellared for at least another decade.
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This is my benchmark for a great and reasonably priced California cabernet. My last review says it all, though I hasten to add that it is unbelievably deep, rich and satisfying. No hyperbole intended: this wine flirts with perfection.
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Coravin taste. First time trying this, and wanted to compare to the 2007 which I have had a couple of times recently. Upon initial pour, there is a huge jammy nose of fruit which can be smelled from feet away. On the palate, it is initially big and fruity, but a touch overbearing and one-dimensional. After 45 min of air, some forest floor emerges on the nose, and the palate starts to come into balance. Some herbal notes start to come through, and this has lovely viscosity on the tongue. No problems with heat.
Overall, at this stage, the 2008 is bigger and richer than the 2007, but also less complex and interesting (for my palate). For right now, I would prefer to drink the 2007. But the potential for this one is clear, and it starts to drink well even now with considerable air time. I recall the 2007 having more herbaceous notes and more acidity, which I appreciated. In any case, this is going to be really good, but I will hold off on my 08s for a few years. I still have 01s, 06s, and 07s to drink. 93 pts for now but with 2-4 point upside possible.
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(Decanted for two hours.) The ACV remains hauntingly dark, as it still has not completely shaken off its primary purple robe. The nose remains one of my benchmarks for a California cabernet: a complex blend of perfectly ripe fruit, saddle leather, cigar box, eucalyptus, and savory spice aromas. On this occasion, there is a hint of mushroom soup and chocolate milk to boot. Full-bodied in the mouth, the concentrated flavors are beautifully rendered without a hint of over-extraction. The ripe plum, blueberry, cherry and espresso flavors are very clearly and cleanly expressed (due to the zesty acidity) and are mixed with earth, tobacco and red currant gravy undertones. This bright and savory flavor profile is quite delicious. The long finish is not to be believed and the fine tannins of a last year are all but in abeyance. Even better than I remember it, this stunning wine is fully deserving of 98+ points.
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We had this as a pop and decant. Straight out of the bottle it was tight and showing a lot of fruit but backward, even with a lot of agitation in the glass. After four hours the wine was very open and nice. The fruit matured and almost seems like a syrah in the early body. Body is definitely cab but the finish again echos a heavily extracted syrah in this dark, almost jammy sun ripened fruit. Tanins and terroir are both multi-layered and strong. There is some spice in the nose that lasts through the finish, much like anise and a little pepper.
The finish is what makes this wine. I've typed this entire bit and the finish is still on my tongue. Amazing. Why oh why didn't I buy more of this wine for $70? I think this has got to be the best $70 wine I've ever purchased.
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Wow, can't believe my impression is so far off from RP who scored this wine a 98 and the other reviewers who have had this wine here on Cellar Tracker. First day impressions were that this is a very ordinary wine and actually a little below ordinary, an 89 for me. I have had Anderson's 2011 of this same wine and loved it. 2 hour decant, flavors seemed subdued, mouth feel was diluted and watery. It did not improve with time that evening. Don't think brett was the issue, there was no funk in the taste. A puzzler. Hopefully, the wine is going through a shut down phase and will reopen with more time in bottle. Second day, the wine was some improved with dark fruit flavors consolidating and coming forward. Second day was a 92. Overall score is a combination of the two.
Informal notes. On the pnp, this was intense, primary fruit and not much more. With an hour decant (which wasn't enough), it started to show much more tannic structure, which it sorely needed for the massive fruit. Towards the end of the night, it really started to come around with medium acidity, full body and a medium-long finish. IMO, this needs quite a bit more time.
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Very nice. Drank a couple of days after the '08 Eloge. Less structured with significant resolution of tannins. Nicely integrated with red/dark fruits and cassis. Would have liked more complexity similar to what the Eloge provided with its Bdx blend. But definitely glad I have more. Will drink my others over the next 5-6 years.
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My first bottle of 6 of these. Been saving for the right night (cold, snowy, in need of warmth). That nite has arrived in Ohio. First nite, PnP and had a few glasses w/the wife. Conn Valley Cabs are her absolute favorite, btw, and she can pick them out of a blind line up. She did this nite as well, and said she loved it. But I was perplexed at the lack of body and the soft and supple tannins that this wine was showing off immediately after opening, making it more of an early drinker in my mind than all the press had built up. I stated the latest drinking window would be 2018, and rated it a 90. Came back 2 nites later to have a few glasses. This seems like a different wine to me now. The supple and inviting nature is still there with the voluptuous mouthfeel that always adorns these CVV Cabs, but it has put on weight, and the tannins now show some tenacity and tartness, with beautifully balanced Napa acidity, and a chalkiness and astringency that I adore in fine Napa Cabs like this. This wine is just entering into it's drinking window, and with a proper decant, opens up nicely to reveal layers of complexity and flawless balance. This is really at the pinnacle of possibilities for Napa Cabs in my mind. Will improve another 3-5 years in bottle, and drink well through 2025 or so. Superb.
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Remarkable young cab From ACVV. The balance, silky texture, seamlessness, and depth are outstanding. Best I've had from this reliably excellent producer. Many years left.
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After 4 hours, the nose was terrific, but still had a marked tannic aftertaste. After another three hours, it really opened up and smoothed out. Lots of blackberry and dark cherry. Fantastic.
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My last bottle of this wonderful, voluptuous Cab. It has everything: seductive aromatics, ripe full palate of rich Cab fruit, excellent length, refreshing acidity, sweet tannins, excellent balance, and integrated oak.
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I decanted a bottle tonight with braised beef cheek and my previous review really does a fine job of describing this great wine. Were I to add anything, it would be that it is so damn rich and suave that it puts you in mind of a golden age movie star. Yes, it really is that smooth, polished and classy, and it is not even mature! This wine shows a ridiculous amount of promise for the future. If you have not had it, do yourself a favor and try it. Unfortunately, the price has risen to well over $100 per bottle--if you can find it! 97+ points for the present. (BTW, I am dying to try this beside the 2008 Dominus.)
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60 min decant...midnight ruby hue with great clarity...big ripe black cherries and blackberries on the nose with undertones of licorice, cedar and dark chocolate as well as some floral characteristics...beautifully constructed and concentrated fruit on entry with notes of cedar, espresso and dark chocolate truffles...full bodied and complex through the mid-palate with well-integrated and refined tannins and acidity...while 15.3% alcohol is tipping the scales, would have guessed it was low-to-mid 14...one of Todd's best efforts and the best AC CS Estate Reserve i've had...simply a lovely wine and solid QPR
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How to describe this wine? Let me just say that it is great. The color is impenetrably dark for a wine that is five years old. The nose is rich and explodes from the glass. It is a luxurious expression of ripe berries, vanilla, tobacco, leather, minerals and spices. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied and the black fruit, earth and chocolate flavors are very, very deep. The concentration is mind bending! The rich flavors ride on a wave of juicy acidity and the length is impressively long. The noble tannins are in perfect balance. Despite its size, the wine remains poised, suave and balanced. The most complete and sublime ACV I have tasted. 97+ points. (Were I to rank, first to last, the ACVs tasted today, it would be 2008, 2005, 2007, 2002, and 2006.)
This was popped and poured, and followed on several consecutive nights. Night one it was almost all toast and oak (don't PnP) but after a couple hours smoothed out some. Night 2 was much more enjoyable. Nose was a little shy, but showing dark polished plum and currants, with a strong chocolate note carrying a medium length finish. Smooth and polished, with moderate depth and complexity. Strong effort, though not a "wow" wine for my palate.
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I am not a big fan of this wine's 15.3% alcohol and the amount of up-front fruit comes on a bit too strong for my tastes. However, there is an appealing level of complexity and nuance to this wine that suggests it warrants a second chance. Notes of wood and cedar and a tobacco infused earthiness are nice counter balances to the sweet-tart berry flavors. Let's see how it holds up to the evening's tasting. I for one will not be waiting for it to become a 90 plus wine after hours in the decanter. It has about 30 minutes to show its best before I ask for either the trumpet or gong. After 30 minutes: downgrade and bring out the gong.
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This wine came out of the gate a little slow. After an hour or so, the bouquet really started to come through with sweet flowers. This wine has mellowed since my last bottle, but still a very good wine.
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Lovely, but not amazing like before (see 11/5/11 and 1/15/13 notes). Didn't pair well with spicy pulled pork, so perhaps not fair to judge. Oh well... Still has voluptuous Cab fruit, firm young tannins, integrated oak, and nice acidity. Some wines have the verve to pop through the intensity of this food. This wine did not rise to the challenge!
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Would have gotten a higher rating had I decanted the wine for over six hours. Four was not enough. Powerhouse of a young wine with strong fruit and tannins intermixing very nicely. Went very, very well with the porterhouse.... Looking forward to seeing how this bottle evolves over the next five years.....
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Consistent with prior 97 point tasting note. I followed this up with a 2009 Feret Lambert, which was decent. The Anderson was in a completely different league.
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Amazing. In a local wine bar and grabbed off the shelf for $38. Young, tight, tannins prominent, medium complexity, 60 sec after taste. My wine deal of the year.
What's not to like. Great attributes, with the subtle confidence of an all-star that knows that he is good. Doesn't have to go over the top to try to prove the point.
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This is an extraordinary wine. Dark purple with red tint. Perfumed nose with blackberry, mint, violets, graphite, and subtle oak. Ripe, full, fruit-forward palate of delicious of blackberry, blueberry, cherry, plum, vanilla, and graphite. Mouthwatering acidity. Sweet tannins. Nearly integrated oak. Amazing, balanced Napa Cab.
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The first of my five-bottle cache of this wine, and glad I have four more. Poured directly from bottle after opening at the restaurant. Great nose of black cherry and cedar. Fabulous mouth-feel and a long finish. Should only get better, but in a good place right now as well.
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Tasted blind. Fairly complete nose with flowers, chocolate, oak and currants. Medium weight palate ith cherries and more currants. Bright, succulent finish.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue, youthful. Outstanding nose delivers a potent Cabernet aromas of pronounced black currant and mint complimented by black fruits, dried rose petal, cedar, tobacco leaf, and even a touch of minerals. So lively and fresh. Medium-plus body. On the palate, this stays true to the nose and shows expressively refined notes again of black fruits, minty currant, cedar and an ever present herbaceous quality that leaves one continually reaching for another pour. The tannins are rounded and smooth on the lengthy finish. Such a nice Cabernet and one to pour for those who think Napa is unable to deliver big flavors without spoof. So great now, hard to resist...but should age well over the next 5+ years, if not much longer.
Quick comment: Talk about hitting a home run, this Cab over delivers for the price and if found for less than $50 is actually a "QPR" relative to other labels within the same tier.
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750 at the wine club. What a change from the '95 Lynch Bages! A little candied fruit on the nose, butterscotch and oak. Well enough balanced an a nice wine for its style, but not so much my thing. Obviously young and certainly pleasant, but now bowled over. Not convinced that it'll develop into anything with more interest as it ages.
3/5
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You know, I was gonna leave a concise TN for this. But after reading my last note, why?? This is simply delicious. This is a Cabernet made in the perfect "in between" style of both modern ripe fruit and traditional structure. So good, and if needed, see my last note for specific details. What a great way to top off a FL vacation!
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Very solid as usual, but not going to give this one a rating. Was drank right alongside an 06 Schrader RBS that was incredible...the Schrader certainly set the bar high.
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Decanted 2 hrs. More refined and structured than my last bottle. Showed plenty of cassis, currants, and blackberry, but missing that edge of sweetness that I dind't care for in the last bottle. Finishes with strong chocolate and coffee notes. A nice Cali cab.
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A moderate disappointment the glowing professional and CT reviews. Lithe rather than full, it has clear notes of cassis, cacao, vanilla. Structure is, for a Napa cab, gossamer rather than sturdy - light acidity, barely perceptable tannins, mild finish. Enjoyable to study, it could not stand up to broiled salmon. Given the structure, this is the kind of wine that might develop into an ethereal beauty or fall completely apart. (I chalked the first bottle up to bottle variation, but this second bottle was very consistent, and can't blame transport or storage since my bottles were sourced upon release in napa valley close to where I live)
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OK, not sure what happened here. I loved the first bottle. Dark profile nose with black currants, spice, and cedar wood. Palate is round, ripe, and really coats the palate. Dense fruit, with currants, cassis, and blackberry while adding a little mild chocolate that carries on a lengthy finish of chocolate, mild vanilla, and black currants. While the depth and concentration is there, this bottle lacks any energy or poise and come across as a rather ordinary Napa cab. I am much less optimistic than my last bottle in July as it does not perform for the price point. Initially imperceptible tannin that comes out with air, but almost lacks structure.
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I agree mostly with njmays. Initial beautiful aromas. I decanted for two hours. Subtle oak, black cherries, earth, leather, spice, and i get the vanilla as well. Incredibly well balanced with a fantastic finish. This is starting off beautifully. I will wait a while before I try this again. Can't wait!
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Brought to Otto's tonight to drink with friends. This was WOTN for me, although others preferred the Erna Schein '07 Fat Boy. No formal notes. A profound, complex, and delicious 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Outstanding balance. AMAZING length. Focused, refreshing acidity. Silky texture. Subtle oak. Supple tannins. Structure to last and last. Will wait a year or three to open another.
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Not a wine to start the night. On its own it may be a bit over the top. Intense, dark, bold wine with ripened fruit as the core with touches of sweet cigar, new oak, and a touch of tanned leather. Once food arrived the wine went from being a touch flabby into beautiful giant. Looking forward to my other bottles. Very good QPR @ $75.
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Beserkerfest Napa Halloween Party (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): I think this was the wine (and not the Reserve). It is very nice. Good cassis fruit on the nose with some oak. Still quite young and tight on the palate. This was from Mag. Nice cassis fruit. There is some heat, especially on the finish. I suspect time/air will help that out. Others seem to like it more than I.
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Opened and decanted for about an hour. Deep black cherry color. Nose needed another hour to reveal all its components. All fruit initially with cassis, blueberry and black cherry. Elements of the french oak appeared underneath, with a hint of cedar, leather and even a little graham and hints of vanilla. In the mouth this was one of the most perfectly balanced wines i have ever enjoyed. A burst of fruits, blue and black, followed by a full rich midpalate, and a velvety, yet prolonged grippy finish. Most wines have one out of three, either a great attack or a great finish, most commonly. Occasionally a really well made wine will have two out of three components - incorporating a vivid, full mid-palate along with either a great attack or a great finish. Only very rarely have I been fortunate enough to taste a wine that combined all three components so beautifully, and here, with a perfect acidity carrying all the lush fruit through the midpalate and then handing off seemlessly to the tannins that carried the finish on and on. Maybe my wine of the year. Five years or so and this should be simply breathtaking.
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Too young, should have known better. BUT, after a couple bottles with friends and not sure what to go to next, decided to take a chance. Better luck in a couple years.
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Popped and aerated in bottle for 3+ hours. Medium-plus purple/garnet, slight haze. Quite perfumed upon first pour, the aromas are both fruit-driven and complex, with expressive notes of black & blue fruits, pronounced black currant, fresh mint, anise, rosemary, and even a touch of minerals. The herbaceous aromas grow with aeration in glass and an additional subtle note of spice/incense also appears. Medium-plus body, but quite elegant. Really, the overall balance is just impeccable. As it shows on the nose, this is all about the fresh fruit flavors throughout the palate along with herbaceous notes and refrained oak. While certainly structured, the tannins are seemingly completely obscured by the fruit. Plus close. Just a beautiful example of Napa Cabernet, and one which will undoubtedly show splendidly throughout the next 5-10+ years. Perfect blend of modern/traditional Napa Cabernet. Wow.
Quick commentary: Much better the 2007 vintage at this same stage and overall, a more complete wine. Tasted next to the 2007 12C and while just as nice, the latter is certainly more from the modern school and made for a very interesting comparison. What did we learn from this? It's hard to go wrong with either wine if you love Napa Cab!
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Amazing Wine! This wine is just a baby right now and I can't imagine how I am going to be able to keep my hands off of these. This is one of the best Cabernet's I have had in a long long time. It is a very dark opaque wine in color with a huge but plush mouth feel. The nose changed throughout the evening as it opened up. It started out pretty tight but opened up more and more with air. There is tons of beautiful dark fruits with a touch of oak that is very much in balance. This wine will evolve for many years to come and I look forward to following it through all of these steps.
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Scored 5 of these and decided to drink 1 young @ dads 60th. My OH MY is this well-made, there is not a single facet that is lacking. This is the best single bottle of wine I have ever had. Very good after an hour or two in the decanter, but legendary after 3-4. There is no possible way to disagree with Parker's 98 on this.
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Popped and poured at restaurant without detailed notes. Initially showed with strong oak influence with gobs of vanilla cream in the nose palate and finish with concentrated silky fruit underneath. Over several hours the wine tightened up, showing it's smooth polished tannic structure. By the end of the night, this was a delightful cali cab with blackberries and vanilla spice on the nose, a palate of opulent (I hate this descriptor, but it's apt) concentrated dark tinged fruit, with more currants and blackberry than cassis, and a very long fruit filled finish that hangs on the palate for nearly a minute. I would put this up with Cali cabs 3x the price. A strong effort that should have the balance and polish to age. Day 2: Wow, this really came together. oak integrated on the nose, showing cedar spice with brighter redder fruit with clear cherry and cassis character, with the faintest hint of green pepper. Still silky smooth concentrated palate, with expressive mild chocolate on the finish, with a very long red fruit note. Soft, polished, barely present tannins, with enough acidity for lift, Bumped a point.
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Color- deep dark red/black...Rich bouquet of black fruit with a hint of sweet oak. Dense but not overly concentrated-balanced. Massive layers and depth on the palate, lush and smooth mouthfeel , dont really notice the tannins until they kick-in on the finish. 95
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I would say that this was the best red wine that I've consumed to date. Now I know what Parker is talking about when he describes "glycerin" in a Cali cab because what struck me most about this wine was the initial burst of sweetness in the fruit. Not syrupy sweetness- just an incredible abundance of natural sweetness which transitioned into the full and lush mid palate featuring perfectly ripe cabernet fruit- some hints of currant and perhaps leather and chocolate.
The acidity on the mid-palate to the finish is bracing and enlivinening- upon first sip I thought it might be too much for me and that the wine was far too young too drink- but either it settled in or I settled in and everything was beautiful. The finish was also quite exquisite- the natural tannins of the skins married with the oak and were carried by the a acidity into a long and impressive finish which had me smiling and shaking my head in delight.
I started this off at a 95 and as I realized that over the course of dinner that this wine equaled of exceeded any red I've had to date, the score rose.
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Tasting room pour. Shoebox leather, cedar, black pepper, and earth throughout; with emerging black currant and cassis. Silky, with round and firm tannins. Slate and emerging fruit on a lingering finish. This is a huge wine with layers of savory flavors. As the fruit fills in this could be a blockbuster.
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WOW , have to wait 4-7 years for this wine to really shine . Should have bought a case , This is going to be amazing in years to come . WOW ! Just had the rest of the bottle , seems an extra day of air has improved it , should have bought 2 cases , just amazing !
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One of the most impressive California wines I've had in ages. I was shocked to see this wine was 15.3%, as it was wonderfully balanced. Ordered two bottles on my past experience with Anderson, but after tasting the 07 and 08 side by side at my local wine shop today, I immediately picked up 2 more bottles. This is right up there with the best Cali wines I've had in the past 15 years - Shafer Hillside, Scarecrow, Merus, etc. It's hard to call any wine a bargain at $80+ dollars, but this wine delivers in spades, even at that price point. Hope I can hold a couple bottles at least 10 years, as this wine may be magical by then.
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This was very very good, but I had expected more. It was super smooth with a great mouthfeel; strong cola taste, but not as much stuffing as I like in my cabs. Felt like it needed some more tannin and backbone. Might just be too young.
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Usually when I buy these high scoring Parker wines I only have 1 or 2 bottles so I stash them away and wait for them to reach their peak. This time I scored 4 of the 98pt Conn Valley so I decided to open it young to watch it evolve. Decanted for 2+ hours and it was still a bit tight. Dark, dense purple typical of ripe Cabernet. On the nose cassis and dark fruits with a hint of cedar that I find in Napa Cabs. You can taste the elegance and power in this wine. The tannins are there but wrapped in ripe fruit that coats the mouth. It is interesting to extrapolate to the future when this will be a blockbuster wine. I can recall tasting older Napa cabs and I think I can see how this will develop those secondary notes that should turn this into an outstanding wine. Will try to stagger the remaining bottles at 5, 10 and 15 years and watch them mature.
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Opened to share with our wine tasting beforehand. Decanted for 3 hours. Inky, luscious, great mouthfeel. Best cab I have ever had and it will only get better with time.
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Very young wine, but has exceptional balance and structure. a few years of bottle age should really bring this one out. Hard to find, get it if you can
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Upon opening it was a bit disjointed. Was a bit thin and short. Let it sit in the glass over 1 hour and revisited. it really opened up, good fruit, big tannins and concentrated. Lacked a little bit of the flashyness i have seen with this wine before. Going to see whats up on day 2.
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2/14/2024 - signotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich and ripe but nicely balanced with good acidity. A bit of warmth on the finish and it was not a bother for me. Delicious.
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10/27/2023 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 95 Points
Not sure how to rank this. Tasted along with 50 other wines, all exceptional. This came across as balanced - fruit, tannins, everything. There wasn't a single thing that jumped out, but that's what made it great, especially compared to other wines. Great wine.
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9/16/2023 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bottle that was tucked away -- we forgot about it! An older style, medium bodied, actually decent tannins that dissipated as it was open. Nice to try!
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9/8/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Part of a 2008 to 2010 dinner with my wine group. This was my favorite, although by vote, not the group favorite. Opened, but not decanted for over 45 minutes before pouring. Once again the cork broke and I had to work some magic to get the bottle open without ending up with cork in the wine! I've had this happen frequently with Anderson's wines from the mid 2000s. I'm not sure why. Anyway, full bodied with a long finish.
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6/27/2023 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Old style, bug cab with good structure, lots of plummy fruit and integrated oak. Not every body's cup of cab.
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4/8/2023 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, currant, mint and lead pencil. Flavors of blackberry, black cherry, currant, plum and melt chocolate. Ends with a 40-45 second finish with blackberry and currant notes. Doesn’t seem like it aged at all since the last time I had it. Although a great wine not sure I would rate this as high as I did previously.
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3/23/2023 - gtonn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Awesome. Really,it is. Even at this age, the brightness is there. Yes the fruit has faded, but only a bit. It is still open and inviting and absolutely gorgeous!
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1/14/2023 - Rockyii Likes this wine: 94 Points
2nd bottle 5 years removed from the first. Deep eggplant red with some orange fade at the rim. Semi sweet nose of blackberry, black cherry and maple syrup. Taste is similar but with smokey charcoal notes. Ultra smooth tannins at this point and medium acidity. Well balanced flavor. Nice elegant mouthfeel
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12/31/2022 - daveo6313 wrote: 95 Points
This wine was in a great place. Beautiful bottle.
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12/13/2022 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Smooth tannins, deep fruit, has enough structure to remain interesting.
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11/5/2022 - oldcorke Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking very well, but cold easily go another 6-8 years & maybe more. Rich & dark, luxurious deeply scented fruit, baking spice, earth, creosote. Very satisfying. Just a shade better than red-fruited 2013 Stony Hill Napa Cab drunk same nite.
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10/14/2022 - T1000 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is drinking great right now, could last several more years probably with no problem. Notes of dark cherry and light hint of tobacco. Touch of sulfur on the nose (minerally), sweet but very subtle fruits. Notes of burnt sugars on the nose as well. It's a fun one, worth the wait for sure. Had ours in our cellar for 11.5 years.
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6/26/2022 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark center, red rim with some signs of age.
Sweet, pipe tobacco and black cherries, touch of VA, dry autumn leaves, some green stems.
Smooth and minty, cassis and plums, raspberry reduction, modest acidity and tannin at this point, touch of cigar ash, very good long finish.
Excellent Napa Cab, not overblown at all (the 15.3% alcohol is surprisingly well integrated). Drinking very well now.
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6/13/2022 - Eye Drink Reds wrote: 87 Points
Dry with tart, dark fruits and some crushed rocks. Medium bodied smooth tannins and good acidity. Brief 30 min decant, but did not improve much after 2 hours. This was outdone by a more robust 2008 Padis Cabernet. Not sure if this was an off bottle, but it lacked flavor and seemed tired.
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4/24/2022 - oncocyte wrote: 96 Points
Magnificent, elegant wine. Two huge fans at this table. A little cigar box and slight peppery nose, then ethereal fruit, then soft road tar-like tannins on the backside, with a long finish. Can't wait to see how this evolves, but I guess I have to.
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4/9/2022 - zylmanj Likes this wine: 92 Points
I thought this was very good but not quite great. It is almost 50 percent Napa Cab and 50 percent Bordeaux in taste. The tannins are fully integrated. It has a medium plus body with medium acidity. In all fairness to this wine, I prefer Napa Cabs over Bordeaux. The taste profile is dark fruited and pleasant with slight complexity.
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3/4/2022 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rock solid mature cab with preserved bright fruits, tart, good depth and went marvelously with beef stew
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1/19/2022 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
See notes from three months ago. Nothing much has changed - slightly softer and slightly more complex. Drinks more like a Bordeaux, not an overblown Napa fruitbomb.
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1/7/2022 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Short cork, bottom fifth wet and infiltrated just a bit. Deep purple, heady full bouquet of chassis and yeast and grape must, really nice. First taste fruit wonderful and fully ready. Oh so rich, tannins still in the fight but now not astringent but a part of the wine. Really great cab, so thick with flavor, so youthful, so mature. This is so cabernet and a prime example of why its my favorite varietal. CT ratings say 2037 but if you have any try now. It won't disappoint. One of a few wines I was sorry to have the last of. Recommended, and CT says until 2037. I would feel comfortable with 8 more years but it wouldn't surprise me to see it make that distant mark.
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12/31/2021 - AusTxJim wrote: 81 Points
Check your bottle. Just pulled this and it’s pushing past it’s prime. A bit funky without the complexity of earlier years….
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10/25/2021 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
No reason to change my score from a previous bottle 20 months ago. Holding up just fine and gaining complexity. Nice nose, slightly restrained on the palate, medium body, and a killer finish. In a blind tasting, I would have pegged it as a 2nd growth Bordeaux, not a Napa cabernet. Not flashy and showy, but Yowza.
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10/10/2021 - drrobvino wrote: 94 Points
5th of 6 bottles. Beautifully made Napa Cab, luxuriously chewy tannins, moderate acidity, and a long and yummy finish.
This is a great California wine, showing all the glitz and glam that comes with Napa, but Conn Valley Vineyards doesn't go "too far" by becoming gloppy or too unctuous. Drink through 2024.
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9/1/2021 - Philasinger Likes this wine:
This was simply fantastic. Absolutely the right time to open this bottle. I love it when a good winery will hit a home run with a particular vintage. I really like Conn Valley but this was on another plane. What a bargain in terms of QPR from Napa. I wish I had more.
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6/9/2021 - wilkinsmd Likes this wine: 91 Points
I am normally a fan of this wine, but tonight’s bottle was a slight disappointment. The fruit is fading into secondary notes while the tannins remain strong. It is starting to soften overall which is nice, but it seems to be running out of steam. Was hoping for more.
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4/30/2021 - Good2drink Likes this wine:
Wonderful 4/30/21 with lamb chops ad corn on the cob
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3/13/2021 - Arcturus wrote: 96 Points
96. I’ve had dozens of bottles from different vintages. It’s the purity of fruit that sets this apart from other vintages. Great bottle.
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2/17/2021 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP. Wow. Plum, black fruit. Fantastic wine.
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1/24/2021 - wren460 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Such a fantastic and well balanced cab !!!! This wine easily makes the list of my Top 20 of all time. Curious enough, when I first had a sip I scored it 92-93, but then after a few minutes the wine changed dramatically from being closed to a fully open wine. Extremely delicius cherries and raspberries with not a hint of heat. I wish I had 2 cases, sadly I only have about 4 bottles left. This wine is impossible to dissapoint.
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1/23/2021 - mac-eye Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine restored my faith in cabs! In recent years, my tastes have moved progressively towards syrahs and pinots, and away from cabs and Bordeaux blends. But this Anderson Napa cab is enough to make anyone a cab fan - if they were all in the same ballpark of goodness of this one, which of course they aren't.
After carefully decanting to eliminate the sediment, this is immediately wonderful. Perfectly balanced with ample fruit, present yet softened tannins, just enough acid to be interesting, and faint sweetness to support the fruit. Wood is subdued yet present. Perfectly ready to drink now. Will it improve further? Not for my tastes, although it might retain its beauty for several more years.
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1/1/2021 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
I will not belabor readers with another glowing review of this fabulous wine. But do let me share a bit. While friends and family drank Champagne on New Year’s Eve, I drank this wine. In fact I drank a whole bottle that had it all--flavor, balance, finish and silky smoothness. Simply delicious. Over-indulgent? Yes, but I am better for it. 98 points.
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12/30/2020 - pouncey wrote: 95 Points
It’s been nine years since I last tasted this wine. What a glorious nine years it’s been. This is a fantastic wine. I think I over scored it initially but that was a long time ago. It’s really a wonderful experience. Amazing deep, dark red fruit nose. With a dry, dusty sense to it. Ripe blackberry and cherry with dusty, earthy undertones. Just awesome. Soft entry with mature, dark fruit flavors. This is a fantastic wine, worthy of much praise. I’m thankful to have two bottles remaining. This is drinking perfectly now!
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10/10/2020 - Maz Likes this wine: 96 Points
I am really sorry that this was my last bottle of this beautiful wine. It exhibits Lots of dark and red fruits, wonderful structure and complexity and a nice medium to long finish. The tannins are velvety and the overall wine punches way above its weight class in taste and value.
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10/2/2020 - HOS wrote: flawed
Corked. Bummer
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8/30/2020 - gtonn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exceptional!
Dark fruit, silky tannins
Harmonious. A joy to drink! Cannot imagine this could get better!
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8/18/2020 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 92 Points
Here it is 4 years later since the last time I tried this wine and I find it to be about the same as it was then and gave it the same score. Just as then, I still can't believe the much higher scores other reviewers give it even as of this year.
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7/1/2020 - best.wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Starting to show itself with some classic aged Napa cabernet flavors. Tannins have integrated nicely. I like where it is now as we could see some concerns later with higher alcohol level of 15.3. Alcohol level not a concern now. Stored at 55 degrees since release.
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4/12/2020 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
On the nose there is a sensually warm earthiness laced with seductive aromas of red and blue fruit compote, cedar, tobacco, leather and more than a hint of camphor wood. In the mouth the wine is gloriously silky, with tastes of primary red fruit, stewed black fruit, chocolate milk, vanilla, anise and a salty umami component. There is also a vivacious acidity that amplifies the fruit flavors and extends the lush finish, even in the midst of burgeoning tertiary notes. As for the tannins, they are fully and beautifully integrated. Yes, this is a gorgeous, balanced and delicious mature wine. Well-stored bottles should age and please for at least another dozen years. 98+ points and the best ACV cab to date. (This has become a reliably delicious old friend. It was served with yet another Easter leg of lamb and the paring was once again spectacular.)
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4/5/2020 - sommwines Likes this wine:
Very good, classy cab. Old school. I think Mac Sawyer made this.
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2/7/2020 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent with a bottle six weeks ago - Yowza! Not "hedonistically" rich and certainly not a vanilla-laden fruit bomb. It is, however, quite complex and has a terrific finish. More old world than new. Ready to drink, but should hold for years.
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1/4/2020 - mflesh Likes this wine: 95 Points
I have had other vintages of this wine, but this one was in the right place, poised and ready to take names. Served pop and pour, not sure decanting time was required at all. This one had dark fruit with a little bit of herb, black licorice, mature tobacco, leather, you name it it was here at least a little bit. I am struggling to not give this one a 96, which it just might be worthy. This is a great example of a wonderfully done, perfectly balanced traditional Napa Cabernet. No doubt this one could hold another 15 years or so, but in all honesty I feel this one is in a really prime spot right now.
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12/29/2019 - mgstull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp. Drinking beautifully right now. Lots of cassis and plum and black fruit with smooth tannins.
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12/28/2019 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. In a great place right now.
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12/26/2019 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tied for 2nd in an Xmas tasting of five bodacious cabernets (2003 Spottswoode was #1). Terrific wine that's just beginning to fire on all cylinders.
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12/7/2019 - Decanthor Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is just epic. Perfectly aged, ready to drink on PnP. Med-Full bodied. So many layers of complexity and just flat out delicious. Perfect filet minon pairing. Doubt it will get much better. Drink up!
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12/6/2019 - gagrapes wrote: 92 Points
Feels like this has peaked...drink up!
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8/28/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 94 Points
Bottle #4 of 6. A gorgeous, velvety, complex, delicious, and sexy Napa Cab.
Drink now through 2024.
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6/27/2019 - WDK Likes this wine: 96 Points
A wonderfully balanced, medium bodied, sweet-fruited Napa cab. Everyone loved it.
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5/25/2019 - SpoochMan wrote:
Gifted to Carrie Palmquist at Amherst commencement
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2/3/2019 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine took two days to display what it really has. First days was Sunday; muted, deep red, but power in reserve. Didn't touch the second, but on Tuesday the wine was in top form. Beautiful fruit, deep and dense. Wonderfully balanced but fruit by far was the star. Savored every sip. Can see why WA saying decades of life. I don't think 10 more years would be far fetched for trying another. Needs lots of air at this point. Highly recommended.
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12/2/2018 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 93 Points
just in excellent shape with dark fruit, a little tart and lots of earthy backbone
early in it's drinking window
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10/26/2018 - ELH wrote: 94 Points
Rich, luxurious fruit. Mature tannins. Great depth.
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10/19/2018 - Rockyii Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant and drank in the parking lot before a concert (George Thorogood - a/k/a "Bad to the Bone"). Nice slightly opaque purple. Primarily berry driven (blackberries and blueberries) with notes of slate, baker's cocoa and cloves. Still some heat from the alcohol and pretty high acidity. Tannins are soft and well integrated. Medium plus body with a good amount of sediment at the end of the bottle. This aged much better than George. About 92-93.
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10/17/2018 - JKelly05 wrote:
A bit disappointing, tasted tired and grandma's closet moth balls.
Maybe bad bottle, not youthful nor vibrant.
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9/15/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
My friend Michael opened and decanted for a few hours. The nose was red and black fruit. The wine opened in the glass as very fruit forward. Berries and dark cherries on the nose, The palate was berry, cherry, plum, red meat and a touch of cigar box on the finish which was moderate to long.
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9/10/2018 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 94 Points
My 3rd bottle of this and this wine is just singing along and delivers all the nuances, flavors and pleasure that a Cali-Cab should at a still decent price.
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6/27/2018 - HelloHello wrote: 96 Points
Wow! This is the best Napa cabernet I've ever had. Aged just right. Explosive aroma of ripe fruits, deep color and taste. If you can find this under $150/bottle, this is a very good buy.
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6/24/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Seems to be in a nice spot now with complexity and layering on full display. Slightly roasted yet ripe red/blue fruit leads into an explosion of milk chocolate, cassis, cloves, iron, dried herbs... Still a touch of prickly alcohol around the edges with tannins that softly grip. In the zone now but 3-5 additional years will not hurt it. This will make it another 10.
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6/17/2018 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted for almost 3 hours. Aromas of blackberry, currant, dried cherry and touch of iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, iron and dash of cocoa. Ends with an incredible finish of blackberry and currant that has to be close to a minute. Probably the best Anderson Conn Valley wine I have ever had. Still has a long life ahead.
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4/2/2018 - jjhsom Likes this wine: 98 Points
In 18-19, let breath in bottle 30 mins
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4/2/2018 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
I served two well-aired bottles with Easter dinner. Once again, absolutely spectacular in color, aroma and depth of otherworldly black fruit flavors. The latter simply go on and on. A perfect match for the rich leg of lamb and loved by everyone at the table. And I came off as the culinary genius.
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2/16/2018 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
I will not repeat everything I said in my last review because nothing has changed—this is a great wine and a privilege to drink. Now if only I could
find another well-stored case…
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2/11/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 97 Points
very consistent with my earlier note, drinking amazingly well right now and the nose is even better than the taste which is fantastic.
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1/30/2018 - drrobvino wrote: 95 Points
Bought 6 bottles, this is my 3rd. Decanted an hour before consuming, and enjoyed with bone-in ribeye and baked potatoes.
This bottle is quite delicious, showing off gorgeous, perfectly ripened blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, with a hint of green pepper and soil notes, as well as some mint in the upper register.
The palate shows a full bodied, beautifully structured wine, with nicely balanced and refreshing acidity, to support the big fruit flavors. The tannins are refined yet still show great grip and tension, leading into a long and black-fruited finish.
This is a Napa stunner, and is my wife's favorite Cabernet...from anywhere. I admit, a hard one to deny...drink this beauty through 2025.
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1/27/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 97 Points
Outstanding wine, beautiful aromatics, dark blue and black fruit, well balanced tannins and long finish. Much improved from a split we had several years to early. Drinking amazingly well.
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1/13/2018 - gtm Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fantastic
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12/16/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
It's been over a year since my last bottle of this wine, and time has been very kind to it. Long finish. Very tasty Napa Cabernet.
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12/8/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened, decanted, nice classic cab fruit, and well balanced
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11/15/2017 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
It has been over two years since I drank this wine. Boy was it worth the wait! It is still tremendously gorgeous but a bit smoother and more hedonistic. The ripe fruit flavors are seamless from front to back and the secondary ones are richer and earthier. This remains a big, big wine in the mouth but eschews flashiness for class, depth and persistence. And the remaining dry tannins are beautifully integrated. It is still a fantastic wine and does California proud.
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11/15/2017 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 95 Points
My first bottle of this beauty, which has been nestling in my cellar since mid-2011. It is now fully integrated and ready to go. Upon pouring, the color is a mid-dark garnet in the glass, with a medium body, and strong legs. The aromas leap from the crystal upon swirling -- bright, big, fruit-filled, enticing, and energetic. The palate is filled with robust and round flavors of cassis, black cherry, and blackberry, with a finish of autumnal spices and madagascar vanilla. Superb balance, luscious tannins, and showing very well right now. The next bottle may make a showing on our Thanksgiving table!
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11/3/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened via Coravin. Full throttle nose at PNP. Spice , cedar, mint and vanilla nose. Dark red. Spiced red apples, cinnamon , dark cherry and black currants. Excellent structure, young, but with air drinking well. Tart red fruit. Nice texture and length. Well done !
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7/4/2017 - pepmi wrote:
I opened this out of Patriotism, this being July 4. I am in a very silent minority though. Most reviews on Cellar Tracker rate this wine in the mid-nineties but I am reluctant to even inch it up to the high "80's. Why? Because there is a sea of wines at a fraction of the price point that will give you what you are looking for. Want fruit power and a punch in your face? Then buy a bottle of Martini Cabernet for about $17.00 a bottle. Want as much fruit and vitality but with a bit more balance? Then drink a bottle of Chinon, which will set you back less than $30 I imagine. Want to go old school and drink one of the early pioneers of California Cabernet but don't want to shell out more than $100? My suggestion would be to buy the second label of Montelena or Spotteswoode. Even better, buy a bottle of cabernet from the 1993 vintage, say Dunn, at auction for less than $75 -- and taste a wine from the golden age of California wine making before it was ruined by Robert Parker. At least that is my POV.
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6/25/2017 - Bloms wrote: 96 Points
On a night of epic Cabs, this stood out. Perfectly balanced, still excellent structure and fruit. Drinking with the guy who made it added to the enjoyment.
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5/28/2017 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour and beginning to open. A dark, brooding wine, impenetrable purple to the eye, with blue-black fruits, tar, spice, a touch of green pepper, and significant acidity to provide some freshness. Long finish. Probably much better in five years.
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5/10/2017 - joshabramson wrote: 94 Points
Very good, very fruit forward, a bit tart at first, better after 2 hours of air. In a very good drinking window right now but I think this will continue to drink well for several years.
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3/20/2017 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
in great shape and in a nice drinking window
blackberries with some cassis and a touch of tartness
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2/17/2017 - texaswinelover wrote:
Getting some heat today. Fruit very prominent and tasty but etoh distracts. Balance?
15.3% and feeling it.
Wonder if you shouldn't drink up.
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1/28/2017 - WineGuyX wrote: 95 Points
Big, ripe nose! Loaded with sweet fruit, spice and flowers. This needs several more years to become mature, this is delicious now with a long future ahead of it. As with some other vintages of this wine, a bit more acidic than I'd expect. 95+
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1/24/2017 - kvroberts wrote: 95 Points
- Medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body with a long finish - This is an incredible bottle of wine. Enjoyed with a filet mignon. Exceptional fruit, acidity, balance, followed by a long finish. Very enjoyable.
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12/26/2016 - gtm Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great Napa cab. decanted 2 hours. very enjoyable
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12/26/2016 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 92 Points
Short decant first day and the wine seemed a little tight. Second day the flavors seemed to open up some and it was a little better.
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12/25/2016 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with cheese assortment and salame on Xmas eve. Decanted for about 45 min before drinking and cooled to around 60 deg. This was an enjoyable cab, but I think it will be better to wait on my other bottles. This has lots of fruit, balanced by good acidity. But is is still quite primary and is not yet showing much complexity (the '07 is more complex at this stage, IMO). The finish also still has just a touch of bitterness. This is certainly drinkable now, but I think it will be better in the future.
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9/26/2016 - drrobvino wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyed with filet mignon this evening. My wife and I drained the bottle over dinner.
A bit primary upon opening, this wine really opened up over the course of an hour (we did not decant the wine, to it's detriment).
Black cherry and cassis fruit, some mild anise or perhaps eucalyptus, followed by a rocky/chalky creosote finish.
The wine was not hot, and showed beautiful balance, especially after being opened an hour. The tannins are still present, but are definitley wearing down nicely with some bottle age, and the fruit is there in spades to still support the wine and give the true Napa feel.
Drink now through 2024+.
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9/4/2016 - Bloms wrote: 95 Points
So nice. Full bodied, rich fruit, complex. Tannins have melted away. Can't imagine how this could get any better.
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6/12/2016 - SpoochMan wrote: 93 Points
Coravin taste. Starting to show a bit of herbal secondaries that are very nice. Still big and probably better in a few years, but this is shaping up nicely. Liked better than '08 Hall and '08 Lewis cabs
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5/28/2016 - Cschall wrote: 96 Points
Perfectly balanced after 7hr decant
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5/3/2016 - PSUSteve wrote:
PnP at the end of a long night. This needs air and started to come around with some time in the glass.
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4/26/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 89 Points
2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Night (Lincoln Squre Steaks, Amsterdam Ave, New York City): This is a tough one to rate. Ultimately it was slightly disappointing with a heavy mouthfeel and notes of stewed fruit on the palate. About half of my 8 person group also felt it was very (and too much so) acidic. I wanted to love this, but ended up only liking it.
All that being said, one person to our group was an hour late, but we had poured him a glass. He thought it was great, with none of the cooked fruit and high acid flavors. I took a sip, and a lot of that blew off. But I can't rate it on that one sip. But with the right conditions, this could edge into 92 point territory.
No where near the 97 points Parker gave it, but still very respectable. I'll try another bottle in a six months, and let it breathe much longer.
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4/23/2016 - csimm wrote: 88 Points
A four-year vertical tasting of Anderson's Conn Estate Reserve Cabernets: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
The 2008 ranked #2, primarily because the 2007 and 2009 were fairly disappointing overall. The 2008 hovered in the 88-89 point range, but just barely.
It had reserved notes of red current, some purple plum, wood, and a little earth. Straight forward and simple, lacking depth of flavor; tight mid-palate, with a muted finish. Air did not help much, with the wood and watery plum notes repeating on the back end.
This has a couple of years of life in it, but not much beyond that. I would drink now, sans decanting.
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4/14/2016 - BUBBA DAWG Likes this wine: 92 Points
not as enthusiastic as i was 2 1/2 years ago but still a solid effort and great drinking new world napa cab...surprised this has nearly doubled in price since release and can't say i'd pay current prices...diminishing returns post 2023?
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4/9/2016 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 75 minutes and drank over the next 2+ hours. Agree with the full and balanced mouthful. Layered with a great finish.
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3/31/2016 - Redguy wrote:
Decanted 4 hrs. Full and rich with beautiful balance. Not as ripe as the '07 and with finer tannin than the '06. Drinking so well already.
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3/26/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
'08s for the Elite Eight (The Apt): Maybe the most approachable early on of all of the reds. It was decanted and served prob within 30 minutes. The most fruit forward of the wines this was easy drinking, well integrated. Perhaps not quite the future depth of the others we tried, but one of the tasty ones today.
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3/1/2016 - Mr T wrote:
I got none but others thought it great
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2/26/2016 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Damn this wine is banging! I should've started the evening with a "starter" wine which is what I usually do when we open a great wine. I can't believe this is at the eight year mark as it still was fresh and needed decanting but wow as we drank this the nose opened up with dark red fruits and tons of cassis. Long, long finish and this wine can go five, ten years.
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12/8/2015 - CO Wino Likes this wine: 95 Points
This 2008 Anderson's Conn Valley is a tremendous vintage. Excellent structure with tannins for a nice steak, lots of fruit, great nose so I had to buy more bottles.
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11/27/2015 - kobechrome Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic. Dark, rich and oaky. A lot of fruit on the nose.
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11/5/2015 - gtm wrote: 98 Points
classic Cab. elegant wine. edges are softening. still young, 5-8 years away from fully realizing potential. fantastic wine
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9/21/2015 - dhammer53 wrote: 93 Points
Drank this at Keens Steakhouse in NYC with Madigan. Some tannins at pop n pour. After the first taste, the wine was decanted. This is pretty dark. Some cedar and cigarbox. Some oak. This wine is young, and not subtle. Some fruit. Big and juicy. You can hang on to your bottle for another 5 - 10 years easy.
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8/26/2015 - domco wrote:
Big, juicy, a lot of dark fruits. As it warmed from the cellar the alcohol starting coming through just a bit. Probably has several more years ahead of it but another wine I might not wait too long on (will the alcohol overwhelm when the fruit starts to fade? I hope not, but not sure I want to take that chance)...
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8/21/2015 - WineWright Likes this wine: 93 Points
Did not decant. No formal notes but an excellent wine and experience, which should improve with more time.
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8/7/2015 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 97 Points
(From a split.) The gorgeous flavors, impressive length, nimble balance and overall polished presentation still inspire awe. On this occasion the nose was ever so slightly muted, even after an hour in the glass. Still, 97 well-deserved points.
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8/2/2015 - ElSol Likes this wine: 89 Points
This was a bold, substantive cab with a lot of body. But the overall taste didn't quite justify the price tag.
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7/5/2015 - Pcrage wrote: 94 Points
Very nice and promising but still primary. Decanted 2 hours but seems to still be closed down. Showed a bit one dimensional. Improved more so after 4 hours in glass. I'd give it another few years relaxing.
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5/10/2015 - Barakahn Likes this wine: 98 Points
All you want in a perfectly balanced California Cab. Great nose including subtle elements ofdark fruit, toasted oak and leather. Rich, full, and layered mouthfeel followed by nice finish. Fully integrated. Great to drink now or leave cellared for at least another decade.
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5/9/2015 - r&j Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Short decant, great nose, long finish, benchmark Napa cab
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4/19/2015 - Hercules Likes this wine:
Outstanding! Everything a cab should be. Will get better with age.
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3/20/2015 - InflationHedge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well, but short of the 07 Dominus. Ripe dark fruit and distinct currant, but not the length i was expecting.
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1/7/2015 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is my benchmark for a great and reasonably priced California cabernet. My last review says it all, though I hasten to add that it is unbelievably deep, rich and satisfying. No hyperbole intended: this wine flirts with perfection.
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1/6/2015 - dstraub wrote: 97 Points
This was perhaps the best ACVV Cab that we've had. Glad we have several more.
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12/21/2014 - kingboo wrote: 89 Points
Good, not great. Had with a Mondavi 2001 Stag's Leap cab, which clearly dominated.
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12/16/2014 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin taste. First time trying this, and wanted to compare to the 2007 which I have had a couple of times recently. Upon initial pour, there is a huge jammy nose of fruit which can be smelled from feet away. On the palate, it is initially big and fruity, but a touch overbearing and one-dimensional. After 45 min of air, some forest floor emerges on the nose, and the palate starts to come into balance. Some herbal notes start to come through, and this has lovely viscosity on the tongue. No problems with heat.
Overall, at this stage, the 2008 is bigger and richer than the 2007, but also less complex and interesting (for my palate). For right now, I would prefer to drink the 2007. But the potential for this one is clear, and it starts to drink well even now with considerable air time. I recall the 2007 having more herbaceous notes and more acidity, which I appreciated. In any case, this is going to be really good, but I will hold off on my 08s for a few years. I still have 01s, 06s, and 07s to drink. 93 pts for now but with 2-4 point upside possible.
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11/22/2014 - BinVA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic
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11/16/2014 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 98 Points
(Decanted for two hours.) The ACV remains hauntingly dark, as it still has not completely shaken off its primary purple robe. The nose remains one of my benchmarks for a California cabernet: a complex blend of perfectly ripe fruit, saddle leather, cigar box, eucalyptus, and savory spice aromas. On this occasion, there is a hint of mushroom soup and chocolate milk to boot. Full-bodied in the mouth, the concentrated flavors are beautifully rendered without a hint of over-extraction. The ripe plum, blueberry, cherry and espresso flavors are very clearly and cleanly expressed (due to the zesty acidity) and are mixed with earth, tobacco and red currant gravy undertones. This bright and savory flavor profile is quite delicious. The long finish is not to be believed and the fine tannins of a last year are all but in abeyance. Even better than I remember it, this stunning wine is fully deserving of 98+ points.
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11/15/2014 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
We had this as a pop and decant. Straight out of the bottle it was tight and showing a lot of fruit but backward, even with a lot of agitation in the glass. After four hours the wine was very open and nice. The fruit matured and almost seems like a syrah in the early body. Body is definitely cab but the finish again echos a heavily extracted syrah in this dark, almost jammy sun ripened fruit. Tanins and terroir are both multi-layered and strong. There is some spice in the nose that lasts through the finish, much like anise and a little pepper.
The finish is what makes this wine. I've typed this entire bit and the finish is still on my tongue. Amazing. Why oh why didn't I buy more of this wine for $70? I think this has got to be the best $70 wine I've ever purchased.
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11/14/2014 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 91 Points
Wow, can't believe my impression is so far off from RP who scored this wine a 98 and the other reviewers who have had this wine here on Cellar Tracker. First day impressions were that this is a very ordinary wine and actually a little below ordinary, an 89 for me. I have had Anderson's 2011 of this same wine and loved it. 2 hour decant, flavors seemed subdued, mouth feel was diluted and watery. It did not improve with time that evening. Don't think brett was the issue, there was no funk in the taste. A puzzler. Hopefully, the wine is going through a shut down phase and will reopen with more time in bottle. Second day, the wine was some improved with dark fruit flavors consolidating and coming forward. Second day was a 92. Overall score is a combination of the two.
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10/18/2014 - texaswinelover wrote:
Really nice.
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9/18/2014 - RDHudak wrote: 93 Points
Informal notes. On the pnp, this was intense, primary fruit and not much more. With an hour decant (which wasn't enough), it started to show much more tannic structure, which it sorely needed for the massive fruit. Towards the end of the night, it really started to come around with medium acidity, full body and a medium-long finish. IMO, this needs quite a bit more time.
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8/10/2014 - maitredgreg2 wrote: 98 Points
98+
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5/22/2014 - texaswinelover wrote:
Very nice. Drank a couple of days after the '08 Eloge. Less structured with significant resolution of tannins. Nicely integrated with red/dark fruits and cassis. Would have liked more complexity similar to what the Eloge provided with its Bdx blend. But definitely glad I have more. Will drink my others over the next 5-6 years.
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5/11/2014 - Silveradoup wrote: 96 Points
Drinking very well right now . . .
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5/10/2014 - WDK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby, almost opaque. Medium body, ripe fruit and a soft, balanced finish. Drinking well now.
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2/19/2014 - Opusone99 wrote: 93 Points
Sans prise de notes. Superbe bouteille! 93-94.
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2/8/2014 - flwinos wrote: 94 Points
Amazingly balanced and complex wine. Popped and let breathe in glass for about 30 minutes before consuming.
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2/1/2014 - rsternth wrote: 94 Points
Agree with most others. Silk! Not overpowering at all, but beautifully smooth.
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1/25/2014 - drrobvino wrote: 96 Points
My first bottle of 6 of these. Been saving for the right night (cold, snowy, in need of warmth). That nite has arrived in Ohio.
First nite, PnP and had a few glasses w/the wife. Conn Valley Cabs are her absolute favorite, btw, and she can pick them out of a blind line up. She did this nite as well, and said she loved it. But I was perplexed at the lack of body and the soft and supple tannins that this wine was showing off immediately after opening, making it more of an early drinker in my mind than all the press had built up. I stated the latest drinking window would be 2018, and rated it a 90.
Came back 2 nites later to have a few glasses. This seems like a different wine to me now. The supple and inviting nature is still there with the voluptuous mouthfeel that always adorns these CVV Cabs, but it has put on weight, and the tannins now show some tenacity and tartness, with beautifully balanced Napa acidity, and a chalkiness and astringency that I adore in fine Napa Cabs like this.
This wine is just entering into it's drinking window, and with a proper decant, opens up nicely to reveal layers of complexity and flawless balance. This is really at the pinnacle of possibilities for Napa Cabs in my mind. Will improve another 3-5 years in bottle, and drink well through 2025 or so. Superb.
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12/30/2013 - Redguy wrote: 94 Points
Remarkable young cab From ACVV. The balance, silky texture, seamlessness, and depth are outstanding. Best I've had from this reliably excellent producer. Many years left.
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12/28/2013 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
This was really good. Lots of life ahead too.
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12/25/2013 - depdoc Likes this wine: 96 Points
After 4 hours, the nose was terrific, but still had a marked tannic aftertaste. After another three hours, it really opened up and smoothed out. Lots of blackberry and dark cherry. Fantastic.
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12/20/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 95 Points
My last bottle of this wonderful, voluptuous Cab. It has everything: seductive aromatics, ripe full palate of rich Cab fruit, excellent length, refreshing acidity, sweet tannins, excellent balance, and integrated oak.
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12/14/2013 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 97 Points
I decanted a bottle tonight with braised beef cheek and my previous review really does a fine job of describing this great wine. Were I to add anything, it would be that it is so damn rich and suave that it puts you in mind of a golden age movie star. Yes, it really is that smooth, polished and classy, and it is not even mature! This wine shows a ridiculous amount of promise for the future. If you have not had it, do yourself a favor and try it. Unfortunately, the price has risen to well over $100 per bottle--if you can find it! 97+ points for the present. (BTW, I am dying to try this beside the 2008 Dominus.)
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11/27/2013 - BUBBA DAWG Likes this wine: 94 Points
...perfect napa cab for the holidays...
60 min decant...midnight ruby hue with great clarity...big ripe black cherries and blackberries on the nose with undertones of licorice, cedar and dark chocolate as well as some floral characteristics...beautifully constructed and concentrated fruit on entry with notes of cedar, espresso and dark chocolate truffles...full bodied and complex through the mid-palate with well-integrated and refined tannins and acidity...while 15.3% alcohol is tipping the scales, would have guessed it was low-to-mid 14...one of Todd's best efforts and the best AC CS Estate Reserve i've had...simply a lovely wine and solid QPR
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11/12/2013 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 97 Points
How to describe this wine? Let me just say that it is great. The color is impenetrably dark for a wine that is five years old. The nose is rich and explodes from the glass. It is a luxurious expression of ripe berries, vanilla, tobacco, leather, minerals and spices. In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied and the black fruit, earth and chocolate flavors are very, very deep. The concentration is mind bending! The rich flavors ride on a wave of juicy acidity and the length is impressively long. The noble tannins are in perfect balance. Despite its size, the wine remains poised, suave and balanced. The most complete and sublime ACV I have tasted. 97+ points. (Were I to rank, first to last, the ACVs tasted today, it would be 2008, 2005, 2007, 2002, and 2006.)
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10/27/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was popped and poured, and followed on several consecutive nights. Night one it was almost all toast and oak (don't PnP) but after a couple hours smoothed out some. Night 2 was much more enjoyable. Nose was a little shy, but showing dark polished plum and currants, with a strong chocolate note carrying a medium length finish. Smooth and polished, with moderate depth and complexity. Strong effort, though not a "wow" wine for my palate.
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10/23/2013 - pepmi wrote: 85 Points
I am not a big fan of this wine's 15.3% alcohol and the amount of up-front fruit comes on a bit too strong for my tastes. However, there is an appealing level of complexity and nuance to this wine that suggests it warrants a second chance. Notes of wood and cedar and a tobacco infused earthiness are nice counter balances to the sweet-tart berry flavors. Let's see how it holds up to the evening's tasting. I for one will not be waiting for it to become a 90 plus wine after hours in the decanter. It has about 30 minutes to show its best before I ask for either the trumpet or gong. After 30 minutes: downgrade and bring out the gong.
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10/20/2013 - Napacablover Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine came out of the gate a little slow. After an hour or so, the bouquet really started to come through with sweet flowers. This wine has mellowed since my last bottle, but still a very good wine.
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10/4/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely, but not amazing like before (see 11/5/11 and 1/15/13 notes). Didn't pair well with spicy pulled pork, so perhaps not fair to judge. Oh well... Still has voluptuous Cab fruit, firm young tannins, integrated oak, and nice acidity. Some wines have the verve to pop through the intensity of this food. This wine did not rise to the challenge!
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9/7/2013 - BinVA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young but opened with some air.
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7/28/2013 - drmarc61 wrote: 94 Points
Would have gotten a higher rating had I decanted the wine for over six hours. Four was not enough. Powerhouse of a young wine with strong fruit and tannins intermixing very nicely. Went very, very well with the porterhouse.... Looking forward to seeing how this bottle evolves over the next five years.....
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6/29/2013 - Pointchaser Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consistent with prior 97 point tasting note. I followed this up with a 2009 Feret Lambert, which was decent. The Anderson was in a completely different league.
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3/6/2013 - NeuroDoc Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was great! dark fruit, dark cherry nose, and unctuous, a little black olive, dark cherry and cocoa. long finish. Better than expected.
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3/2/2013 - schaphow wrote: 93 Points
Amazing. In a local wine bar and grabbed off the shelf for $38. Young, tight, tannins prominent, medium complexity, 60 sec after taste. My wine deal of the year.
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2/25/2013 - hende14 wrote: 94 Points
What's not to like. Great attributes, with the subtle confidence of an all-star that knows that he is good. Doesn't have to go over the top to try to prove the point.
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2/10/2013 - Reblin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very young. Astringent, vegetal before decanting. Beautiful after being open for a couple of hours.
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1/15/2013 - Wink Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is an extraordinary wine. Dark purple with red tint. Perfumed nose with blackberry, mint, violets, graphite, and subtle oak. Ripe, full, fruit-forward palate of delicious of blackberry, blueberry, cherry, plum, vanilla, and graphite. Mouthwatering acidity. Sweet tannins. Nearly integrated oak. Amazing, balanced Napa Cab.
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12/17/2012 - TheWineDon Likes this wine: 94 Points
The first of my five-bottle cache of this wine, and glad I have four more. Poured directly from bottle after opening at the restaurant. Great nose of black cherry and cedar. Fabulous mouth-feel and a long finish. Should only get better, but in a good place right now as well.
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10/27/2012 - Uglypinga wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind. Fairly complete nose with flowers, chocolate, oak and currants. Medium weight palate ith cherries and more currants. Bright, succulent finish.
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10/15/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue, youthful. Outstanding nose delivers a potent Cabernet aromas of pronounced black currant and mint complimented by black fruits, dried rose petal, cedar, tobacco leaf, and even a touch of minerals. So lively and fresh. Medium-plus body. On the palate, this stays true to the nose and shows expressively refined notes again of black fruits, minty currant, cedar and an ever present herbaceous quality that leaves one continually reaching for another pour. The tannins are rounded and smooth on the lengthy finish. Such a nice Cabernet and one to pour for those who think Napa is unable to deliver big flavors without spoof. So great now, hard to resist...but should age well over the next 5+ years, if not much longer.
Quick comment: Talk about hitting a home run, this Cab over delivers for the price and if found for less than $50 is actually a "QPR" relative to other labels within the same tier.
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8/19/2012 - jerry6 wrote: 95 Points
decanted 2 hours , great as usual . always a slight improvement 2nd day , one of my favourites
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7/14/2012 - 1H2oMan wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle 7 months ago big change very good
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6/17/2012 - englishman's claret wrote: 87 Points
750 at the wine club. What a change from the '95 Lynch Bages! A little candied fruit on the nose, butterscotch and oak. Well enough balanced an a nice wine for its style, but not so much my thing. Obviously young and certainly pleasant, but now bowled over. Not convinced that it'll develop into anything with more interest as it ages.
3/5
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5/1/2012 - wren460 wrote: 95 Points
Very very very good...needs 2 years to start being awesome.
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4/5/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
You know, I was gonna leave a concise TN for this.
But after reading my last note, why??
This is simply delicious.
This is a Cabernet made in the perfect "in between" style of both modern ripe fruit and traditional structure.
So good, and if needed, see my last note for specific details.
What a great way to top off a FL vacation!
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2/7/2012 - wineguy21 wrote:
Very solid as usual, but not going to give this one a rating. Was drank right alongside an 06 Schrader RBS that was incredible...the Schrader certainly set the bar high.
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2/5/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. More refined and structured than my last bottle. Showed plenty of cassis, currants, and blackberry, but missing that edge of sweetness that I dind't care for in the last bottle. Finishes with strong chocolate and coffee notes. A nice Cali cab.
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2/4/2012 - dekay wrote: 92 Points
A moderate disappointment the glowing professional and CT reviews. Lithe rather than full, it has clear notes of cassis, cacao, vanilla. Structure is, for a Napa cab, gossamer rather than sturdy - light acidity, barely perceptable tannins, mild finish. Enjoyable to study, it could not stand up to broiled salmon. Given the structure, this is the kind of wine that might develop into an ethereal beauty or fall completely apart. (I chalked the first bottle up to bottle variation, but this second bottle was very consistent, and can't blame transport or storage since my bottles were sourced upon release in napa valley close to where I live)
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1/16/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
OK, not sure what happened here. I loved the first bottle. Dark profile nose with black currants, spice, and cedar wood. Palate is round, ripe, and really coats the palate. Dense fruit, with currants, cassis, and blackberry while adding a little mild chocolate that carries on a lengthy finish of chocolate, mild vanilla, and black currants. While the depth and concentration is there, this bottle lacks any energy or poise and come across as a rather ordinary Napa cab. I am much less optimistic than my last bottle in July as it does not perform for the price point. Initially imperceptible tannin that comes out with air, but almost lacks structure.
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1/14/2012 - Philly NQ King wrote: 95 Points
Everything I want in a Cali Cab...except a few more years in the bottle. Wow - huge AND elegant.
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12/25/2011 - pouncey wrote: 96 Points
I agree mostly with njmays. Initial beautiful aromas. I decanted for two hours. Subtle oak, black cherries, earth, leather, spice, and i get the vanilla as well. Incredibly well balanced with a fantastic finish. This is starting off beautifully. I will wait a while before I try this again. Can't wait!
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12/12/2011 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
It was good but I think it will be better in a few years
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11/5/2011 - Wink wrote: 94 Points
Brought to Otto's tonight to drink with friends. This was WOTN for me, although others preferred the Erna Schein '07 Fat Boy. No formal notes. A profound, complex, and delicious 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Outstanding balance. AMAZING length. Focused, refreshing acidity. Silky texture. Subtle oak. Supple tannins. Structure to last and last. Will wait a year or three to open another.
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11/3/2011 - jaxpaj wrote: 95 Points
Not a wine to start the night. On its own it may be a bit over the top. Intense, dark, bold wine with ripened fruit as the core with touches of sweet cigar, new oak, and a touch of tanned leather. Once food arrived the wine went from being a touch flabby into beautiful giant. Looking forward to my other bottles. Very good QPR @ $75.
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10/31/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Beserkerfest Napa Halloween Party (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): I think this was the wine (and not the Reserve). It is very nice. Good cassis fruit on the nose with some oak. Still quite young and tight on the palate. This was from Mag. Nice cassis fruit. There is some heat, especially on the finish. I suspect time/air will help that out. Others seem to like it more than I.
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10/5/2011 - njmays wrote: 98 Points
Opened and decanted for about an hour. Deep black cherry color. Nose needed another hour to reveal all its components. All fruit initially with cassis, blueberry and black cherry. Elements of the french oak appeared underneath, with a hint of cedar, leather and even a little graham and hints of vanilla. In the mouth this was one of the most perfectly balanced wines i have ever enjoyed. A burst of fruits, blue and black, followed by a full rich midpalate, and a velvety, yet prolonged grippy finish. Most wines have one out of three, either a great attack or a great finish, most commonly. Occasionally a really well made wine will have two out of three components - incorporating a vivid, full mid-palate along with either a great attack or a great finish. Only very rarely have I been fortunate enough to taste a wine that combined all three components so beautifully, and here, with a perfect acidity carrying all the lush fruit through the midpalate and then handing off seemlessly to the tannins that carried the finish on and on. Maybe my wine of the year. Five years or so and this should be simply breathtaking.
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9/21/2011 - wineguy21 wrote: 96 Points
Enjoyed this on 3 occasions already, and stellar each time. What an incredible young wine...I really look forward to its future.
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9/4/2011 - WineScoundrel wrote: 96 Points
Phenominal. 96+
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8/27/2011 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
Too young, should have known better. BUT, after a couple bottles with friends and not sure what to go to next, decided to take a chance. Better luck in a couple years.
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8/14/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and aerated in bottle for 3+ hours. Medium-plus purple/garnet, slight haze. Quite perfumed upon first pour, the aromas are both fruit-driven and complex, with expressive notes of black & blue fruits, pronounced black currant, fresh mint, anise, rosemary, and even a touch of minerals. The herbaceous aromas grow with aeration in glass and an additional subtle note of spice/incense also appears. Medium-plus body, but quite elegant. Really, the overall balance is just impeccable. As it shows on the nose, this is all about the fresh fruit flavors throughout the palate along with herbaceous notes and refrained oak. While certainly structured, the tannins are seemingly completely obscured by the fruit. Plus close. Just a beautiful example of Napa Cabernet, and one which will undoubtedly show splendidly throughout the next 5-10+ years. Perfect blend of modern/traditional Napa Cabernet. Wow.
Quick commentary: Much better the 2007 vintage at this same stage and overall, a more complete wine. Tasted next to the 2007 12C and while just as nice, the latter is certainly more from the modern school and made for a very interesting comparison. What did we learn from this? It's hard to go wrong with either wine if you love Napa Cab!
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7/30/2011 - daveo6313 wrote: 98 Points
Amazing Wine! This wine is just a baby right now and I can't imagine how I am going to be able to keep my hands off of these. This is one of the best Cabernet's I have had in a long long time. It is a very dark opaque wine in color with a huge but plush mouth feel. The nose changed throughout the evening as it opened up. It started out pretty tight but opened up more and more with air. There is tons of beautiful dark fruits with a touch of oak that is very much in balance. This wine will evolve for many years to come and I look forward to following it through all of these steps.
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7/16/2011 - BK29 wrote: 98 Points
Scored 5 of these and decided to drink 1 young @ dads 60th. My OH MY is this well-made, there is not a single facet that is lacking. This is the best single bottle of wine I have ever had. Very good after an hour or two in the decanter, but legendary after 3-4. There is no possible way to disagree with Parker's 98 on this.
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7/15/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured at restaurant without detailed notes. Initially showed with strong oak influence with gobs of vanilla cream in the nose palate and finish with concentrated silky fruit underneath. Over several hours the wine tightened up, showing it's smooth polished tannic structure. By the end of the night, this was a delightful cali cab with blackberries and vanilla spice on the nose, a palate of opulent (I hate this descriptor, but it's apt) concentrated dark tinged fruit, with more currants and blackberry than cassis, and a very long fruit filled finish that hangs on the palate for nearly a minute. I would put this up with Cali cabs 3x the price. A strong effort that should have the balance and polish to age.
Day 2: Wow, this really came together. oak integrated on the nose, showing cedar spice with brighter redder fruit with clear cherry and cassis character, with the faintest hint of green pepper. Still silky smooth concentrated palate, with expressive mild chocolate on the finish, with a very long red fruit note. Soft, polished, barely present tannins, with enough acidity for lift, Bumped a point.
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7/7/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 96 Points
Good, but we will not add to our cellar
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6/23/2011 - Arcturus wrote: 95 Points
Color- deep dark red/black...Rich bouquet of black fruit with a hint of sweet oak. Dense but not overly concentrated-balanced. Massive layers and depth on the palate, lush and smooth mouthfeel , dont really notice the tannins until they kick-in on the finish. 95
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6/19/2011 - Pointchaser wrote: 97 Points
I would say that this was the best red wine that I've consumed to date. Now I know what Parker is talking about when he describes "glycerin" in a Cali cab because what struck me most about this wine was the initial burst of sweetness in the fruit. Not syrupy sweetness- just an incredible abundance of natural sweetness which transitioned into the full and lush mid palate featuring perfectly ripe cabernet fruit- some hints of currant and perhaps leather and chocolate.
The acidity on the mid-palate to the finish is bracing and enlivinening- upon first sip I thought it might be too much for me and that the wine was far too young too drink- but either it settled in or I settled in and everything was beautiful. The finish was also quite exquisite- the natural tannins of the skins married with the oak and were carried by the a acidity into a long and impressive finish which had me smiling and shaking my head in delight.
I started this off at a 95 and as I realized that over the course of dinner that this wine equaled of exceeded any red I've had to date, the score rose.
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5/31/2011 - MattMauldin wrote: 95 Points
Tasting room pour. Shoebox leather, cedar, black pepper, and earth throughout; with emerging black currant and cassis. Silky, with round and firm tannins. Slate and emerging fruit on a lingering finish. This is a huge wine with layers of savory flavors. As the fruit fills in this could be a blockbuster.
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5/27/2011 - jerry6 wrote: 95 Points
WOW , have to wait 4-7 years for this wine to really shine . Should have bought a case , This is going to be amazing in years to come . WOW !
Just had the rest of the bottle , seems an extra day of air has improved it , should have bought 2 cases , just amazing !
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5/14/2011 - jcvalenti Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of the most impressive California wines I've had in ages. I was shocked to see this wine was 15.3%, as it was wonderfully balanced. Ordered two bottles on my past experience with Anderson, but after tasting the 07 and 08 side by side at my local wine shop today, I immediately picked up 2 more bottles. This is right up there with the best Cali wines I've had in the past 15 years - Shafer Hillside, Scarecrow, Merus, etc. It's hard to call any wine a bargain at $80+ dollars, but this wine delivers in spades, even at that price point. Hope I can hold a couple bottles at least 10 years, as this wine may be magical by then.
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5/2/2011 - xtian wrote: 93 Points
This was very very good, but I had expected more. It was super smooth with a great mouthfeel; strong cola taste, but not as much stuffing as I like in my cabs. Felt like it needed some more tannin and backbone. Might just be too young.
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4/30/2011 - Arch57 wrote: 95 Points
Usually when I buy these high scoring Parker wines I only have 1 or 2 bottles so I stash them away and wait for them to reach their peak. This time I scored 4 of the 98pt Conn Valley so I decided to open it young to watch it evolve.
Decanted for 2+ hours and it was still a bit tight. Dark, dense purple typical of ripe Cabernet. On the nose cassis and dark fruits with a hint of cedar that I find in Napa Cabs. You can taste the elegance and power in this wine. The tannins are there but wrapped in ripe fruit that coats the mouth. It is interesting to extrapolate to the future when this will be a blockbuster wine. I can recall tasting older Napa cabs and I think I can see how this will develop those secondary notes that should turn this into an outstanding wine. Will try to stagger the remaining bottles at 5, 10 and 15 years and watch them mature.
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4/23/2011 - Neandergrant wrote: 96 Points
Opened to share with our wine tasting beforehand. Decanted for 3 hours. Inky, luscious, great mouthfeel. Best cab I have ever had and it will only get better with time.
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4/23/2011 - Neandergrant wrote: 95 Points
Opened to share with our wine tasting group beforehand. Inky, rich, great mouthfeel. Absolutely loved it. Will only get better with time.
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4/12/2011 - gtm wrote: 98 Points
Very young wine, but has exceptional balance and structure. a few years of bottle age should really bring this one out. Hard to find, get it if you can
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1/20/2011 - Soupsandwich wrote: 90 Points
Upon opening it was a bit disjointed. Was a bit thin and short. Let it sit in the glass over 1 hour and revisited. it really opened up, good fruit, big tannins and concentrated. Lacked a little bit of the flashyness i have seen with this wine before. Going to see whats up on day 2.
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11/26/2010 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
Still young still needs time
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