A 2007 Dow preceded this. Cork was near perfect and that pleased me. Stained medium magenta. Wonderful balance and fruit nicely present and pleasant. Nicely evolved also but my biggest like was the quality and presence of fruit. Sometimes I wonder when reviewers use 'nicely evolved,' they are really saying fruit dropped off. That not the case here. Last time I had this was in 2015, and I said it needed a few hours to open. Today it hit its stride in about 1/2 hour. Great example of what an aged cabernet should taste like. It seems to have its own profile. Its not like Dominus, Beringer, or Shafer, but it seems to somehow have elements of each. Not heavy or tongue coating, just really nice. Like the Dow, this invited the next sip. Feels well made, and while not the top shelf of California cabs, this fits respectfully among the best of mid level cabs. Recommended. I prefer that you drink this sooner than later so as to enjoy the fruit at this stage, but I wouldn't frown at you if you aged a bit more.
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At this stage the rich dark fruits are starting to turn a little bit more toward dried black fig and dried plumb. Still luscious and very enjoyable. I recommend drinking up soon as I doubt this will improve with additional age. Still balanced and with good acidity to temper the bold ripe fruit and now fully integrated tannins.
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My first stab at this vintage and wasn't sure what to expect 2/2 the CT reviews. Quit ripe and fresh on opening. Morphs into a delicious Cali cab that I could drink forever. Excluding bottle variation, not sure there is anything to be critical of.
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I find it truly rewarding when you buy and hold onto a wine for about fifteen years only to discover just how worthwhile it was! Delicious! Plan to hold onto a second bottle for another handful of years!
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Second of two bottles purchased about a year ago and stored in a wine fridge. Cork was in excellent condition. I enjoyed this bottle very much. It struck me as a classic Napa Cabernet both on the nose and palette.
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I have to totally disagree with Vino Loco. I dont get the alcohol burn on the nose. Dark ruby color, prominent dark fruit aromas with hint of leather, cassis. Full body, acidic, well balanced with complex flavors of blackberry, cassis, hint of licorice, and smooth but fairly prominent tannins. Long nice finish and a perfect pairing with the filet mignon that I enjoyed with it.
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Seems like some pretty generous scores being given out on CT for this wine. It exudes alcohol on the nose. Nice colour, youthful and hasn’t broken down at all. But it is incredibly sweet on the entry and lacks complexity for the price point. For a 2007, it was underwhelming and not worth the money IMHO.
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Drink up. Black / red in glass with a slight meniscus. Cassis, dried blackberry, and leather on nose. Full body, medium acidity and tannins completely integrated. Blackberry jam and cassis on palate - fruit is Port like. I don't like how this has aged but that is more of a personal preference. 92+ technically, but 86+ for my palate - this was a beautiful wine in it's youth.
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Stunning .. tons of dusty chocolate and red berry compote, flavor for days and this just got better as the night went in. Had one glass the second day and it was still good but lost some of its luster. Recommend drinking now or next 1-2 years.
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Fruit forward, rich blackberry, plum like fruit with intense notes of mocha, chocolate, cassis and a touch of vanilla on the finish. Super smooth tannins after an hour decant. Sadly, this is my last bottle, and it’s drinking unbelievably well.
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Rich luscious fig and sugar plum. Super fine tannins and enough acidity to balance the ripe fruit flavors. Hint of dust and lengthy finish that you could chew on all night. Even better the second day when I finished the bottle.
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Drinking in a nice spot right now. Great to see a Cali Cab that was highly touted 10 years ago showing well now. Early fruit has mellowed leaving a wine right in the middle now. Easy to love. Go ahead and enjoy!
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Dark fruits with some typical CA earthiness with mocha characteristics. Tannins now integrated and finding balance with activity and fruitiness. A real treat and deserving every bit of lauding that WS gave this.
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Dark blackish garnet in appearance with a clear watery edge. The nose is dominated by sweet ripe dark red and black fruits, complimented by mild cedar with considerable minerality in background. The initial impression on the palate is very smooth and velvety but overly sweet like at from artificial sweetener which may be attributed to the overabundance of alcohol. This medium full-bodied Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is quite voluptuous yet quite simple, sweet yet alcoholic, soft yet still contains an ample degree of fine grain tannins to see it through at least for a few more years. This strikes me as a very strange and awkward wine at this juncture, perhaps I should of had this say 5 years earlier. In all honesty, I was quite disappointed on how this wine turned out tonight. Though its not a terrible wine, its just too sweet and alcoholic for my taste. It would be nice if this wine had more structure to hold everything together.
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First bottle was Jammy and stewed plumbs, like an over ripe California cab. Second bottle much better, very good high end Cali Cab. Velvet tannins nice dark fruit , vanilla undertones.
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This the last bottle of this wine of my cellar. very disappointing. Should have couple of years ago. This wine is on a sharp decline and past its peak. Does not taste really like a cab now, agree more like Syrah. Sweet no acidity and one dimensional. Drinkable with food only
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Raisiny and hot. Not nearly what I was expecting. Perhaps we should have drank years ago? Tasted alongside the ‘08, which was still very ripe, but had some acidity to carry the fruit.
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Best cab we have had in a while. Opened and drank over 2 hours. Nice fruit, blackberries especially, but deep rich flavor. Almost syrah like early on. Just wonderful. Drink this now
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Not at all what I was expecting. Lacking in structure and bricking already. Super ripe, jammy almost viscous with apparent sweetness. Zero tannins acid or backbone. Almost a caricature of an overripe Napa cab.
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Followed for two days open and it was best at the end. A little brick in the color now, this seems to be just hitting it's open window compared to the bottle I had two years ago. Supple and ripe 2007 character, I find this more suited to pizza and ribs than straight ahead steak. Long, classy finish. 5+12+18+9 = 94
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Smooth but a bit thin even after 1-2 hours. Lacks the character of ‘06 (so far). Maybe a little young yet? Alternatively, if you prefer softer cabs or Cabernet + Sangiovese blends, this may be drinking a treat.
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Decanted for about 30 minutes. Next to a Groth Reserve '11, this came across over the top, it was delicious but the contrast with an old school Cali Cab made this Altamura a little too volumptuous. Enjoyable more on its own than with food. Let it breathe for at least 45 mins to come together
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So damn good. Had with NY strip steak. Dark ink color. Smells of candied plums and raisins. Long lingering taste of expressive dark fruits chocolate, crepe brûlée and licorice. Well integrated tannins, smooth velvet finish. Based on the fruit still present, I bet this goes another 10 years
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What a fantastic wine. Still youthful but with loads of flavor. Sorry it's my last. Drank over a couple hours. Great throughout the evening. Be prepared to savor this wine if you have any.
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What can I say. Bought at the winery on release and stored in my cellar since. My third bottle of the case and still maturing nicely although it is now in a sweet spot and will stay there for another 10 years. Great nose, dark fruits the lush mouthfeel that you get in a great wine that is not all about the fruit. The density of this wines mouthfeel sets it apart. Glad I bought the 2012 and 2013 although I haven't tried then yet.
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Despite thinning out just a little bit, this bottle still shows impressive blackberry and black currant fruit, with cedar undertones and some oak on the finish. Very nice but definitely a bottle past peak.
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Superb wine. Must decant to get air and open it up. Hints of tobacco and cedar, along with dark fruit, lead to above average midpalate and a lasting finish
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To be fair this is a 94-95 point wine. Our pairings were perfect (kangaroo loin in a sour cherry reduction and venison rubbed in lavender and sage. ). And I think each of the fruit production sauces against a rare meat really emphasized the tannic structure and gave youth to the fruit in the wine. This wine is superbly balanced and poised. Fruit is red and purple coming on at different points of the profile. Great earth, some smoke and sweet tobacco to augment the fruit, which in the first hour exudes faux sweetness. Oak has died off but vanilla remains.
What most kills me about this wine, is that Altamura has stopped making great wines.
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Big and powerful NAPA cab, very smooth and beautifully made, on the fruit side but not candy, still able to go many many years. We had it with liver and it was good but steak would be a better option. Four left.
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Drank with Parents following big soccer Tournie. Amazing stuff that has evolved much for several years. While the french oak and structure are certainly present- the black berry and currant fruit are more relevant and elegant. Cigar box, cedar, and burnt sugar on secondary note with a finish that lasted for nearly a minute on the palate. What a great Calif Cab at this price point. Don't know that this can get much better coming up on a decade.
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3rd bottle of 1/2 case. Could be bottle variation, but it seems MUCH sweeter than my memory of previous bottle. Still HUGE. Still moderated tannins. Still needs hour or two decant. Clear ring is a full millimeter now - very distinct and color is trending brown from burgundy.
Very drinkable, but still could age without loss IMO.
Why oh why did I buy a 1/2 case. Because it was $82 a bottle of course.
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Last bottle in my cellar and really sorry to see it go. Multiple tastings with consistent notes. A very nice bitter flower note on the front end, dandelion. Well balanced with the fruit. Not mind blowing intensity of fruit, but really just right. I would never grow tired of drinking this one. No sign of burnout.
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Had along with Caymus Special Selection 2007. Paired with grilled beef tenderloin. Both were outstanding wines. Altamura was much more restrained than the SS. Considerably lighter on its feet. Great fruit with a small amount of cedar and anise. A nice, full mid palate and a very long finish. At this stage in development, I favor the Altamura. Did not decant either of them and wonder a bit if that would have made a difference?
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Decanted. Light aromas of dark berries, wild cherry, and licorice followed by a soft burning sensation from the alcohol. Medium-plus body with a sweetness to the wine on the palate up front that carries boldly with mouth-filling impact on mid and back palate. Tannins are rounded and integrated and foretell many years ahead. The finish lasts and lasts. A powerful and voluptuous wine.
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30-40 min decant. Beautiful sweet bouquet, dark fruits, floral. Elegant, silky tannins, plums, dark fruits, oak, cassis. Overall, a drop on the sweet side, medium body. The depth and complexity was not quite there; it tasted a bit tired. But still beautiful.
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Happy Mothers Day! Blackberry, oak, vanilla, with a powerful uplift at mid palate and a strong, lengthy finish. This is fantastic, smooth and elegant, with great fruit and a wonderful grip and finish.
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shellylowen is spot on..even my wife got the plum..but this needs more than the one hour decant we gave it 1st nite..no rush to drink the remaining 5 bottles..this can easily go another 5 years
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Dark red, nose of cherries and fruit, full bodied and satisfying but a touch too much sweetness, a hint more of acidity would really be welcome. Whole case left to see how it progresses.
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ETA- Bottle was returned, new bottle given free of charge. I don't have high hopes as I believe the maderisation was due to storage (they kept this 2007 out in the main store rather than in the fine wine cellar), but they insisted I exchange for the same bottle as I did not have a receipt. They gave me a receipt for the exchange though so if this one sucks I can take it back and get whatever I want. I will update this note when I try, assuming it is good.
ETA: Second bottle was port. Not wasting my time on a third.
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incredible wine - very smooth with dark and red fruits galore. Some spice and oak to round out the favors. Drank at Abe & Louie's Steakhouse. One of the best wines I've had in awhile.
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Quite solid and drinking well after 2hr decant. Dark fruit profile with black currants. Seemingly low acidity palate but plenty of tannins in the back end give this structure. Long finish, if a little hollow in the mid palate, with a touch of coffee and spice, mixed with dark fruit profile. Very much a Napa cab.
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My palate must have changed as I don't enjoy this style of wine - all fruit (on the sweeter spectrum). I loved this wine in the past (gave it a 95 in 1/2011). It 's a well made wine and if you like big Napa Cabernets it's excellent. My wife and mother-in-law enjoyed it so this is a personal style issue. 90+ for my palate but others really enjoyed. Not a re-buy. [edit] This wine should have a long life - the cotton-candy / vanilla nose wore off on the third night it was open and the fruit / structure held-up. If I don't sell these will drink the remaining bottles 2019+.
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Blueberry and blackberry notes interweave with touches of earth and toasted oak. Very robust and powerful, a little over the top for some but I really liked it.
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Wow. Dark ruby red in glass. Wonderful fruit filled nose. Lots of layers on palate with fruit and some tobacco notes. Well balanced. And a finish that is a minute plus. 2 hours later this was just starting to settle down.
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pnp, consumed 60/40 over two days. probably just pushed into my wine of the year so far. i was floored by this. deep blackberry, cassis and black cherry. spicy oak aromas that were subtle and intriguing. a little earth. really in quite a surprising spot for its age and what i've come to expect from this winery. the palate was juicy and hugely flavored even before the finish. the finish was long and added some cocoa to the party. if scoring, firm 95, maybe even higher. i think this has some room to improve, too. extremely well done.
Had this along with a 06 Blankiet and 06 Jarvis Reserve with some friends after a day on the lake. This was my WOTN. Really in a good spot with more depth and character than the others at half the price. Has always been one of my wife's favorite wines. This was #5 wine of year at Spectator a few years back. Medium to full body with some earth, wood on the nose and palate. Much less fruit forward than several years ago if I recall correctly. Last one unfortunately.
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wow! wow! wow! this continues to impress. so silky on the palate with lots of medium to dark fruit with a sold line of vanilla running through the core. a really nice long lasting finish. i dont think this wine can get any better
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Decanted for 1 hr and took to smith a wollensky to pair with the Cajun ribeye. A nice big cali cab not my cup of tea but definitively went well with the steaks. Smooth with long finish. No rush to drink
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Very nice wine, but lacked acidity. Smooth wine, heavy dark fruits. Not oaky. I am a Little drunk now. Will recommend yes, is it something to die for? no.
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Very decent wine, my first Altamura. Not dense but well balanced, more like Bordeaux. Wasn't great right out of the bottle but steadily improved. Recommended but needs time either in cellar or if opened in glass, couple hours.
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This bottle seems to have more oak than I remember from the first bottle 2 years ago. Still, a very nice Cali Cab, but I'm less enthusiastic than I was with that one. No formal notes taken, as this was consumed in a post-wedding celebration.
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PnP - Deep Burgundy w/ touch of rust - clear edges. No nose yet and no heat or tannins. Depth of flavor very good - solid finish.
1 1/2 hours decant - WOW - don't think about drinking this without decant. Totally different wine. Extremely deep flavor profile - a sweet component to the flavor. I understand the comparison to Pinot. Still no heat or tannin - seems very well integrated.
3 hour decant - ready - full nose - full flavor depth - huge finish. This is a wine you can get drunk on FAST - extremely drinkable. With full decant drinkable now - certainly can hold for 2-4 years at least.
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Outstanding wine. Very similar tasting notes to those below. Rich Dark Fruit and hints of Vanilla. Decanted for over two hours and had with steak. Great wine after long decant.
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Multiple tastings with consistent notes. Pop-n-Pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. This wine continues to impress. Slightly lighter in color than most cabernet in this price range. Continues to remind me of a high end Pinot Noir. Black fruits, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking nicely right now.
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Popped and poured and drank over a few hours. Initially had dark berries and vanilla on the nose. Taste was really dark fruit that was quite enjoyable but it could've used some more secondary flavors.
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Really really good bottle of wine! Great dark fruit, cedar and leather overtones. Solid overall structure and nice complexity. Mellowed tannins along with a great finish
Nothing to dislike
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Multiple tastings with consistent notes, wonderful fruit flavors, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking nicely right now.
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dark in color, big on the nose. Lots of delicious dark fruit with a hint of cherry. Silky smooth tannins. Ready to drink now, but still can get better with aging...will allow alcohol heat to mellow, and then who knows, could be 94, 95 points
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Some black licorice on the nose, very soft and plush, no overt tannins but plenty of flavor still. Tasted at 2007 Napa cab retrospective and this was my favorite of the night
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Maturing still. A great nose of dark fruits and fresh forest floor wafting through the room, deep garnet in color, and a full body that's packing heat, tastes of dark fruits, mushroom, blackberry and black currant that shouts "let's go kick some Châteauneuf - du - Pape butt, and gimme a steak!". All this with satin tannins and tastes that linger on and on. Not for the weak of heart.
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Altamura has been one of my favorites over the years... this one was no exception with spaghetti, and wife is off to a civic meeting. It is one of my go-to wines when we have a curious, novice wine drinker; and experienced wine drinkers know to appreciate this wine as well. This 2007 is a touch sweet, it's nose is med-strong, dark fruit, cassis, black truffle; it possesses an in your face smooth and enveloping experience in the mouth that gets your attention, mouth-watering as well. It does need a 90 minute+ decant to really show its stuff.
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Crushed rocks, flint, mint and raw beef. The palate is big and brawny with chocolate, beef and biting tannins. Ive seen notes saying that this is an overblown flabby wine but I think it is very structured and might turn into something much better over the next few years. Nice.
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Pretty freaking good! Very smooth from start to finish. Ruby color. Dark cherries and plum. Not very tannic or earthy. Slightly sweet but in a good way.
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My first impressions were this is overly extracted and sweet, very "Caymus-like". The wine looks Inky colored, like a petite sirah. The legs are Slow. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Blackberry, High Toast, Espresso, and Vanilla. It tastes like Blackberry, Blueberry, Black currant (cassis), Espresso, and Chocolate. There is a significant jammy quality with a gritty chalk note. The body is Medium. The wine has Round texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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Unmistakably California -- big, brooding, dark, rich, and deep. But what elevates this wine above the chocolate syrup being sold as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon today is its weightlessness. For all of its richness and depth, it remains a nearly weightless wine, lending itself to a satisfying second glass. One complaint, however, is its woody, toasty vanilla oak flavors, which should have been dialed back a bit. Recent tasters who noted that this wine is in a bit of a closed phase are also correct.
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Double decanted for thirty minutes, but the wine really opened after thirty minutes in the glass. After an hour the tannins were beautiful and round. This is not a heavily oaked cab. This is like a lady's NFL line backer in a ballet. Smooth, elegant but with some muscle yet finesse. The wine will benefit as a pop and pour with age, but it's drinking beautifully now.
Brooding and mostly closed upon opening. After 2 hours in the bottle it began to open up a bit to show very ripe plums, blackberry jam, cassis, and chocolate, with a hint of spice. Full and rich with a moderate finish. Even with a coolish 70F serving temp it showed some distracting heat. Nowhere near as expressive or complex as it was on release.
Day 2 it opened up quite a bit to show a few more layers with some earth and the lovely baking spice character that I usually taste in Altamura. Still some heat evident. Similar to showing to a couple years ago but still in a awkward phase. I'd hold till 2015 or decant for at least a few hours. 90+
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Deep garnet color. A lot of rich fruit, some cassis and supple tannins. Great mouth feel and lasting finish. Super wine, as usual, from a great producer
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well, I was surprised at the fruity nature of this wine, don't get me wrong, it was excellent but maybe I was expecting a classic Cab. This wine has flavors of plum,vanilla,cherries a long finish that I can't put to a final expression . It reminds me of the finish on some Spanish sherries but less alcohol. Slight sweetness in the finish but ends with a final blast of dryness. To those who have a bottle they should try it and will probably be impressed with what they get in this mysterious wine.
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Drank this after opening and decanting for about an hour to two hours. Much better after two. This was at cellar temp and we let it rest at room temp for an hour before opening. Wine needs two hours to open but opening is different than for many wines. Opening for this wine is much more than just fruit. I am talking layers and layers of terroir with some dark graphite that smacks of spring mountain hillside and then more earthy soil like a non Obsidian Howell Mountain. Fruit is dark and brooding that fades into heavy tannins.
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Drank for my wife's birthday. Decanted for 2 hours before serving with grilled Filet. After an '08 Bordeaux (Reignac) the cassis and big fruit was more evident from my prior tasting 2 years ago. I did not take notes but 93+ this go around. One of my favorite Napa Cabernets. Fruit (cassis, blackberry, black cherry) was bigger this time but it was not jammy and was balanced by the acidity & tannins. Would buy again. 93+
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Served for Jennifer's birthday this was very popular; ripe cherry, cassis, a hint of pine tar and oak; very smooth yet full bodied, the kind of wine you could drink all night (all the time if it didn't cost so much).
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Decanted 4 hours, then consumed over the next 10. Consistent with previous tastings. Gobs of rich fruit, touches of smoked meat and tar, good fruit & tannic balance. An excellent Napa cab.
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Burned one on my sister's and my birthday. Wish that it would have breathed longer in the decanter, or that I would have waited another 2 years (as was my plan). Didn't think that the fruit was very pronounced. Maybe the most velvety wine that I've ever had. Reminded me of a Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cab. I still have two bottles left and will wait for it to come together a little more.
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My second time with this wine...first bottle was two years ago. This wine has softened and broadened on the palate, still full-bodied with a long finish, but has lost some structure and complexity.
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Altamira wines are very unique. Deep dark earth flavors, coffee, tobacco, hints of chocolate with a slight chewy and chalky mouth feel. Tremendous depth and a finish measured in minutes.
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Outstanding! Decanted through vinaerator and a secondary filtered funnel. No sediment found on the filter or eveident on the side of the bottle. Nose was a bit tight initially - later it opened gracefully to berries, cherries and floral notes. The garnet color experienced during decanting became dense, dark ink once collected. Fantastic integration and balance with nuances of complexity. Each sip exposed somethning new and interesting. Well porportioned tasting experience with equal weight to the nose, fruit, acidity, tannins and heat. Deep wonderful layer of fruit on the back palate. I loved this wine! But then for the price, so it should be. Ready to drink now - after a couple hours of decanting, but should hold up very nice for decades.
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Nothing not to like about this wine. Drink it now. In its sweet spot. Beautiful dark fruit flavors with a hint of tobacco. An elegant cab. Don't miss this one. One of the best Altimuras ever. Try it.
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Fourth tasting with consistent notes, wonderful fruit flavors, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking beautifully. This is why I drink CA cab.
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Big and brawny nose full of smoke and charred notes. The palate is loaded with ripe plums and chocolate. A bit chewy still but a monster of a wine. I like it a lot.
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Nondescript dark fruit laced with raisiny flavors. Flabby and lacking structure. Little tannin. Spikes of heat on the short finish. Not what I was expecting...disappointing.
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Beeeyooooteeeful. Decanted for 2 hours. Dark cherry red enough that you cannot see through it, great nose of black cherries, coffee and all kinds of complexities that I cannot define. New world style but top notch, old world bye bye. Just great. Better in three to seven years.
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Incredible cabernet. Not a fruit bomb at all, but still very new world. Dark fruit, lots of oak but no vanilla (¿?), some cigar and even smoke. Very well balanced. Nice acidity. At $90 it is a buy. A serious wine that is not over the top in any way.
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This wine keeps getting better. Bright fruit and underlying finesse that should help it improve for years to come. I didn't take notes, but each sip was remarkable. I have 6 bottles left and need real discipline to make it last.
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Pop and pour through vinturi. Consumed over 1.5 hours. Midnight black. Generous nose of dark flesh fruit. Concentrated, powerful on the palate. Dark cherry and perhaps currant, touch of unsweetened chocolate and a vegetal note. Subtle oak and still firm tannins. Excellent and enjoyed with simple red sauce and angel hair pasta but may not play well with less acidic or more delicate fare. Probably better with decant as it improved with a little coaxing in the glass, or hold. 92+
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Wow. Big, powerful, thick and creamy. Great nose, dark berry palate, well balanced with nice tannins and a very long finish. Highly recommended. Saved 10$ buying this bottle at Costco.
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Nose took some time to open up, and remained faint, with cassis and plum. Gorgeous on the palate -- fruit driven yet light and layered. Starts with classic cab dark berry, deepens with spice, vanilla and a bit of cacao, and ends by caressing the palate with the essense of cherry skin - Rainier - and extends into a medium long finish with a more intense sense of cacao and vanilla. Young, but may turn out to drink better early, as the Altamura has complexity but not intensity
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This was BIG, THICK and SWEET. Dessert wine after having a 1995 cab with dinner. There is lots of everything here but seems too young to me. I've had 2003 and 2004 vintages and loved then more as they had matured a bit more than this one. Dark fruit, chocolate, vanilla on the palate. Nose was dominated by cedar. Potential for a bigger score with age but too juvenile for me at this point. 90+
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I went to a wine dinner and this wine was amazing, but came in 4th in a blind tasting, losing to a Staglin and and Furth. Was very nice and I chose it second out of 8.
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--- COLOR: Garnet with Garnet-Ruby rim NOTE: Nose is loads of grilled plum, plum liqueur, tobacco, anise and cinamon. Mouth is opulent plum liqueur (like the kind they make in France) with grilled cherries, cinnamon. Finish is sweet with glycerin, much more black and red cherry jam, kirsch, tobacco & tar. Great stuff and good QPR for the quality.
DECANT: 1 hour GLASS USED: Bordeaux TASTE: 9.3+ OTHER: COST: 90 VALUE: 8.0 PREVIOUSLY TASTED: see prior notes TRY AGAIN: now - 2017 PAIRING: Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net ---
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Deep rich purple in the glass, heavy. Loaded with dark fruit on the nose, chocolate mixed in the palate, sweet plush tannins and a finish that lingers. How does it get this good? No decant time on this bottle and it was fantastic.
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Mocha and chocolate on nose and through midpalate. Exceptional balance and texture throughout midplate with similar flavors on finish which lasts for about 30 seconds. This wine needs another 5-10 to truly develop as it is still drinking young.
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Definitely the Cab of the year so far. Fruit heavy with lots of deep flavors. This is a pretty heavy wine with a good amount of alcohol. Drinks smoothly right out of the bottle, we took it to a restaurant. I will aerate and decant the next one, but I think I'm going to hold off at least a year, probably two, this could easily go 97+ in the future.
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Brought this one to dinner with my wine snob buddy who couldn't say anythng but very nice. Consisentely a great wine with aroma, balance and fuit. Feel the heat and enjoy the steak
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, mushroom and dusty with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a medium finish - Decanted for an hour. Deep red color with a floral nose. Bright, ripe cherry with a touch of spice explodes on the palate. Earthy flavors blend with licorice and anise. Subtle tannins integrate with all the other flavors. Perfectly balanced, it should age well for years, but it is hard to resist now.
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are you folks for real? can't really enjoy a full glass of this wine...too rich and sweet like cheesecake...fine if it's cheesecake. good for those who like to drink syrup but this is supposed to be a cab. great as a dessert wine. i still liked the 06 better. i don't give points any more but am compelled to rate this one.
1/2/2012 update: left bottle outside...and tasted tonight with peking duck...to be fair, i'm removing the low points....it is much tastier and pairs deliciously with peking duck. not terribly sweet.
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Good gawd, this is so huge and syrupy I can't even imagine what food would stand up to it. I won't rate it since for those so inclined it might be great. To my taste, it's thick, sticky, and cloying.
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Absolutely fantastic. Decanted briefly. Big, full wine but not overwhelming. Tasted black cherry and chocolate. This is a great wine that should evolve with time. Highly recommended.
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Steve, Joe and I drank a bottle at lunch at Il Villagio. We had it decanted but only for about 30 minutes before temptation took over and we started to drink it. This is a big wine with a big nose of crushed fruit, spices and earth flavors on the palate with swirling tastes of caramel and coffee in the long finsh. Two or three more years in the botle and I am sure it will be a 95 - ten to fifteen years will probably make it a 98.
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I have great memories of Altamura's wines and the last Altamura that I had was from the 1999 vintage. We opened this bottle to celebrate the adoption of our newest Golden Retriever and served with grilled NY Strips after a 1.5 hour decant. Dark black / reddish color. On nose, cedar, blackberry, black tea (and some oak undertones as well). On the palate, full bodied but not over the top as the acidity & stout (but well integrated) tannins provide balance. Cassiss, coffee, licorice & layers of black fruit . Very long finish. Excellent and one of the few wines at this price point that I would buy again. 94-96 range.
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Altamura mini-vert with Mark & Kim (Spencer's @ the Hilton on I-Drive): Wawaweewa was this every good. Right out of the bottle singing a siren's song of gorgeous blackberry, cassis, and black cherry fruit with some sweet tobacco and vanillin oak. The best textured of the 3 wines in the mini-vert '06-'08; plush, velvety and still fresh and lively. A long, billowy finish of more black and red fruits, chocolate-y oak, and some nice savory herbs. The first bottle of this I had was either "off" or bottle-shocked; this was outstanding and worth every point Spectator gave it. My WOTN in the vert.
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Simply fabulous wine. If you're fortunate enough to get your hands on a few more bottles grab them. Decanted for 1.5 hours. Coffee, a little tobacco, and fruit on the nose. Rich silky palate with dark fruit - currant, blackberry, with a touch of sweetness. Smooth finish, with a note of chocolate.
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--- COLOR: Opaque garnet with light-garnet rim NOTE: This is approaching Schrader quality. It's blackberry liqueur poured over hot cracked granite, Saigon cinnamon, anise, leather and a little tar, some loamy-earthy notes, 60% cocoa powder. No heat at all. Mouth is decadently rich, very fruit forward with sweet glycerin, blackberry liqueur again, cassis, some kirsch, faintest whiff of heat, then it rolls on into a 30 second finish with all the same flavors, more baking spices, burnt marshmallow. Yikes this is good. I need to get more. It's great straight out of the bottle but gets better as it sits. Great acidity that you never notice, and that makes it easy to enjoy glass after glass.
DECANT: 3 hours GLASS USED: Bordeaux TASTE: 9.4 OTHER: COST: 90 VALUE: 8.9 PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a TRY AGAIN: 2012+ PAIRING: ribeye Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net ---
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What a great wine. Seems Altamura never disappoints. I would recommend this wine to anyone. Decanted for about an hour. Great nose, explodes in your mouth, nice velvety/silk and long finish. Dark fruit, blackberry, coffee... yummy!
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Scary Good Reds, Rated 90 Points and Above (Farpointe Cellar): Coffee bean and pencil lead on the nose, with earth and cherry in the middle, and dark fruit at the end. Rich and dark on the palate, with earth and graphite, and a great dark fruit finish.
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Best wine of the 07 Cabs I have had, similar to 08 Caymus, but better structure. Tannins begin to break through on the finish after a few glasses, this will get better with age.
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Best wine of the 07s I have had, similar to 08 Caymus, but better structure. Tannins begin to break through on the finish after a few glasses, this will get better with age.
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Had this wine in Washington DC, Adour it was a fabulous wine that the sommelier recommended and we loved and found out later it was the WS #5 wine of 2010, we each had the 5 course tastings but Brenda's vegetable tasting was better than mine. A lovely wine and evening. Nice anise notes smooth mouth feel.
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I was shocked that this was all cab. If blind, I would have guessed merlot blend. Primary flavors were blue fruit - plum and some blueberry with a cinnamon component. Wine exhibited nice mouthfell and a decent finish.
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Minneapolis Wine Club Mixed Bag of $50 plus Reds (John's House): A wine with tons of potential. On the nose spice, dark fruits and oak. The palate reveals some sweet fruit, spice, oak and earth notes. Medium to long finish. The wine was decanted and for 3 hours and went through the Vinturi over six times. It still wasn't completely open for business. I see this as a great decade age worthy wine and I think you will be rewarded.
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1 Hr decant. Big sweet black fruit nose with vanilla and spice nose. Lots of blackberry and currant flavors with some vanilla and tobacco. Long finish . I found it a little flabby, the fruit was big but a little dull or it would have ranked higher.
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Drank at a tasting, 1 hour decant. Black ruby color and full body. Aromas of band-aid, black cherry, currant, mineral, and leather. The palate brought notes of black and blue jammy fruit, along with tons of big oak notes- coffee, toffee, espresso, vanilla. A little grainy in feel with firm round tannins. Lengthy finish with bittersweet flavors. An oaky and ripe Cab with decent structure. Enjoyable, but not distinctive IMO.
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Mini Offline with Bordeaux and Napa Wines featuring 1996 Poyferre & Mondavi (John's House): Purple, inky color. Nose has a ton of fruit, blueberry followed by blackberry, and then some cassis. There was some earth that developed over an hour that gave this some more character. The palate is ultra lush, dense, velvety, with sweet tannins that have melted into the wine nicely already. The ripe black fruits are complex and layered. Initially I found some heat here, which seemed to blow off after an hour. This is huge, young wine that could evolve into something spectacular. This will be fun to see in a few years. 93+pts.
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Big, big wine. Decanted for 5 hours. The wine has beautiful balance, but seemed to lack the complexity I expected. Beautiful nose of dark fruits and a bit of earth. Palate was more dark fruits....slight sweetness. The finish opened up the longer it was in the glass. I think I need to hold the next bottle for a couple years...am curious where this will go.
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A real surprise, an '07 that can be drunk now or cellared for future enjoyment. Nose of dark dark fruit and coffee/chocolate. The wine is inherently rich, sweet and pure, not sweet in a sugary way…think sacramental wine but in a very enjoyable approachable way, no harsh tannins at all. Reminiscent of Caymus though sweeter and more pure. Plenty of dark sweet fruit, but very well balanced, not a fruit bomb at all. Layered and complex with lengthy finish to savor. Pretty obvious this is a wine we enjoyed immensely and can only imagine what some serious breathing time would do.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and has flavours of black currant, blackberry, diacetyl (butter) and chocolate with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Decanted for 45 minutes. Opened up nicely. Beautiful garnet, almost bloody color. Not very much nose (mabye drank it a little young?) A very well made wine, strong raisin, licorice, berry. Long on the palate.
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this has the stuffing to be fantastic, but it is not showing its best yet. very tight and relatively one-dimensional at this stage. sweet oak and black cherries on the nose, but a short-ish finish that i'm not used to with altamura cabs. maybe we didn't decant it long enough, but we left it in the decanter during the 2.5 hours of the meal and it just never opened up.
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I do love altamura (have2) but honestly this bottle is not ready and drinking worse than 06. Tasted with Italian and up against more mature ones. Smootan easy and full but No distinct character or impression in the nose or mouth. The comparison is not fair I know. But if it were blind taste I would not give it 95. Need a day of breathing to form it's great taste is my guess.
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Couldn't resist opening this now. Some cocoa and anise aromas, very dark violet color, nicely weighted and balanced, deep dark cherry and cassis flavors with a huge, concentrated finish...have never experienced a finish like this. Will try my last bottle next year at the earliest.
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A truly outstanding wine! Decanted for about 2 1/2 hours before drinking. Aromas of plums and coffee on the nose. Subtle fruit on the palate and an incredibly smooth finish with hints of oak and mild tannins. Paired terrific with pork and ancho bourbon sauce.
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Very similar to the 06. Gratuitous cab with concentrated mocha and cassis. A beautiful, well balanced wine. As of June 2011, FINALLY tasting better than 06. Wow, what a wine. -- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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A bit young tasting...not ready.. 06 was better and more ready to drink than 07. Tonight, this bottle was up against 2005 Caymus SS...started off at the same level but then SS took off. Nevertheless, still delicious.
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OMFG! This is the bomb. Pours almost black with reddish purple around the rim. Strong aromatics at play here pushing ripe red berries, plum and cherries with some cinnamon stick spice and a bit of green chili. Full body with exceptionally balanced acid and velvet cloth like tannins. On the palate I catch a glimpse of crushed rocks, black currant, creme de cassis, graphite, coffee and veggies along with all the nose fruit. This beauty is classy and quite light on the palate considering it's hefty appearance. Supremely balanced and quite stylish with a generous disposition worn on it's sleeve. Amazing wine! (I popped and poured)
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Wow. This is an amazing wine. Very tannic at first, but opens up nicely. Great fruit and unique flavors. Slightly green (or maybe earthy/olive -- but very pleasant) notes along with bright dark fruit, a bit of coffee and maybe some cocoa. This is too young to drink now, but I just couldn't wait. Give it some air before drinking.
I've been a big fan of Altamura since Vinfolio was pushing the '99 a few years ago, and this may be their best effort yet. I went "all in" and bought a case of this wine, even though I've been mostly limiting myself to 2 or 3 bottles of the '07 Napa cabs in order to try a greater number of wines.
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Wow. This is an amazing wine. Very tannic at first, but opens up nicely. Great fruit and unique flavors. Slightly green (but very pleasant) notes along with bright dark fruit, a bit of coffee and maybe some cocoa. This is too young to drink now, but I just couldn't wait. Give it some air before drinking.
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My mother in law's maiden name is Altamura. So I opened one of these for Thanksgiving. Big, chocolate nose with dark fruits and game. The palate is thick and chewy, with a lot of mocha flavors and cassis. Thick on the palate and tannins to spare. The fruit was big enough to be a crowd pleaser even though my relatives are not winos...Like it a lot.
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I found this essentially undrinkable. Dominant notes of burnt oak on the nose, with overripe, almost stewed black currant fruit. In the mouth, monolithic, with extremely ripe fruit, a wall of oak, and searing heat on the finish. This was not a matter of my palate being off. This was, in a word, terrible. D
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4/28/2024 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 93 Points
hosted a 15 person wine tasting and poured these; terrific showing; very CA cab; sweet fruit and pretty finish; crowd pleaser
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3/2/2024 - Jeff U Likes this wine:
Wish had more
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8/13/2023 - Rramey wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 8 hours. Fruit has been lost and alcohol is on the forefront. Past prime for my taste. Should have drank earlier.
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3/26/2023 - AEROSMITH wrote: 95 Points
simply amazing and drinking magnificent
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1/11/2023 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 94 Points
A 2007 Dow preceded this. Cork was near perfect and that pleased me. Stained medium magenta. Wonderful balance and fruit nicely present and pleasant. Nicely evolved also but my biggest like was the quality and presence of fruit. Sometimes I wonder when reviewers use 'nicely evolved,' they are really saying fruit dropped off. That not the case here. Last time I had this was in 2015, and I said it needed a few hours to open. Today it hit its stride in about 1/2 hour. Great example of what an aged cabernet should taste like. It seems to have its own profile. Its not like Dominus, Beringer, or Shafer, but it seems to somehow have elements of each. Not heavy or tongue coating, just really nice. Like the Dow, this invited the next sip. Feels well made, and while not the top shelf of California cabs, this fits respectfully among the best of mid level cabs. Recommended. I prefer that you drink this sooner than later so as to enjoy the fruit at this stage, but I wouldn't frown at you if you aged a bit more.
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12/28/2022 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
At this stage the rich dark fruits are starting to turn a little bit more toward dried black fig and dried plumb. Still luscious and very enjoyable. I recommend drinking up soon as I doubt this will improve with additional age. Still balanced and with good acidity to temper the bold ripe fruit and now fully integrated tannins.
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12/10/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first stab at this vintage and wasn't sure what to expect 2/2 the CT reviews.
Quit ripe and fresh on opening. Morphs into a delicious Cali cab that I could drink forever.
Excluding bottle variation, not sure there is anything to be critical of.
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12/2/2022 - pmcellar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredible! Let it open for a couple of hours. Good nose, smooth tannins, velvety texture,
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11/1/2022 - hailcesare Likes this wine: 90 Points
Probably past it’s peak. Lost a lot of its vibrancy.
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10/12/2022 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
I find it truly rewarding when you buy and hold onto a wine for about fifteen years only to discover just how worthwhile it was! Delicious!
Plan to hold onto a second bottle for another handful of years!
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8/28/2021 - Recreation Chef Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second of two bottles purchased about a year ago and stored in a wine fridge. Cork was in excellent condition. I enjoyed this bottle very much. It struck me as a classic Napa Cabernet both on the nose and palette.
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8/12/2021 - Kayentacellars wrote: 95 Points
I have to totally disagree with Vino Loco. I dont get the alcohol burn on the nose. Dark ruby color, prominent dark fruit aromas with hint of leather, cassis. Full body, acidic, well balanced with complex flavors of blackberry, cassis, hint of licorice, and smooth but fairly prominent tannins. Long nice finish and a perfect pairing with the filet mignon that I enjoyed with it.
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7/7/2021 - Vino Loco wrote: 89 Points
Seems like some pretty generous scores being given out on CT for this wine. It exudes alcohol on the nose. Nice colour, youthful and hasn’t broken down at all. But it is incredibly sweet on the entry and lacks complexity for the price point. For a 2007, it was underwhelming and not worth the money IMHO.
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4/10/2021 - pinotpounder Likes this wine: 92 Points
92 points
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3/2/2021 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened and drank half first night after decanting, very good. Second night this was fantastic; integrated, tannic, big fruit, and long finish.
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1/24/2021 - CWilliam wrote:
Drink up. Black / red in glass with a slight meniscus. Cassis, dried blackberry, and leather on nose. Full body, medium acidity and tannins completely integrated. Blackberry jam and cassis on palate - fruit is Port like. I don't like how this has aged but that is more of a personal preference. 92+ technically, but 86+ for my palate - this was a beautiful wine in it's youth.
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12/28/2020 - mpricher wrote: 93 Points
Stunning .. tons of dusty chocolate and red berry compote, flavor for days and this just got better as the night went in. Had one glass the second day and it was still good but lost some of its luster. Recommend drinking now or next 1-2 years.
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10/8/2020 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fruit forward, rich blackberry, plum like fruit with intense notes of mocha, chocolate, cassis and a touch of vanilla on the finish. Super smooth tannins after an hour decant. Sadly, this is my last bottle, and it’s drinking unbelievably well.
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10/3/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Rich creamy chocolate on the palette. Blueberry and eucalyptus flavors. Tannins are very fine grained. Long lingering finish. Very well made.
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7/4/2020 - Thief Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich luscious fig and sugar plum. Super fine tannins and enough acidity to balance the ripe fruit flavors. Hint of dust and lengthy finish that you could chew on all night. Even better the second day when I finished the bottle.
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1/16/2020 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
2 hour decant allowed this cab to open up
Agree with other tn. Sweet almost Syrah like ....went great with baby back ribs
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8/22/2019 - jhw425 wrote: 90 Points
Very big but good for what it is
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6/20/2019 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking in a nice spot right now. Great to see a Cali Cab that was highly touted 10 years ago showing well now. Early fruit has mellowed leaving a wine right in the middle now. Easy to love. Go ahead and enjoy!
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5/19/2019 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruits with some typical CA earthiness with mocha characteristics. Tannins now integrated and finding balance with activity and fruitiness. A real treat and deserving every bit of lauding that WS gave this.
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4/3/2019 - ddingley Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sugary fruit bomb. Good for what it is, depends on the palate. At least a good fruit bomb. Drink now
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3/10/2019 - Praxis wrote: 89 Points
Dark blackish garnet in appearance with a clear watery edge. The nose is dominated by sweet ripe dark red and black fruits, complimented by mild cedar with considerable minerality in background. The initial impression on the palate is very smooth and velvety but overly sweet like at from artificial sweetener which may be attributed to the overabundance of alcohol. This medium full-bodied Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is quite voluptuous yet quite simple, sweet yet alcoholic, soft yet still contains an ample degree of fine grain tannins to see it through at least for a few more years. This strikes me as a very strange and awkward wine at this juncture, perhaps I should of had this say 5 years earlier. In all honesty, I was quite disappointed on how this wine turned out tonight. Though its not a terrible wine, its just too sweet and alcoholic for my taste. It would be nice if this wine had more structure to hold everything together.
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3/9/2019 - HabsFan360 Likes this wine: 90 Points
First bottle was Jammy and stewed plumbs, like an over ripe California cab. Second bottle much better, very good high end Cali Cab. Velvet tannins nice dark fruit , vanilla undertones.
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12/25/2018 - Old Course 72 wrote: 92 Points
Both bottles in good shape. Wine developed over time. Expressive nose and mouth filling flavor, long finish. Clearly drinking at prime.
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12/22/2018 - CCSchlaepfer wrote: 86 Points
This the last bottle of this wine of my cellar. very disappointing. Should have couple of years ago. This wine is on a sharp decline and past its peak. Does not taste really like a cab now, agree more like Syrah. Sweet no acidity and one dimensional. Drinkable with food only
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11/5/2018 - hongjiu Likes this wine: 88 Points
Notably jammy and more consistent with being on the decline than I had expected. Better hurry up and try the next bottle for confirmation.
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10/21/2018 - cliffkol wrote: flawed
Corked. tasted like sweet grape juice. Minimal characteristics of wine.
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8/20/2018 - Tonythefish wrote: 94 Points
See prior notes - at peak now
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8/5/2018 - Brandy2426 wrote: 85 Points
Raisiny and hot. Not nearly what I was expecting. Perhaps we should have drank years ago? Tasted alongside the ‘08, which was still very ripe, but had some acidity to carry the fruit.
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6/23/2018 - jdesimone4 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best cab we have had in a while. Opened and drank over 2 hours. Nice fruit, blackberries especially, but deep rich flavor. Almost syrah like early on. Just wonderful. Drink this now
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6/14/2018 - yasha Likes this wine: 95 Points
my last bottle of 2007. Just great, love it but this the end of my 2007, moving up
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6/3/2018 - michael47 wrote: 89 Points
Not at all what I was expecting. Lacking in structure and bricking already. Super ripe, jammy almost viscous with apparent sweetness. Zero tannins acid or backbone. Almost a caricature of an overripe Napa cab.
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3/29/2018 - fingers Likes this wine: 94 Points
Followed for two days open and it was best at the end. A little brick in the color now, this seems to be just hitting it's open window compared to the bottle I had two years ago. Supple and ripe 2007 character, I find this more suited to pizza and ribs than straight ahead steak. Long, classy finish. 5+12+18+9 = 94
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1/27/2018 - hongjiu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth but a bit thin even after 1-2 hours. Lacks the character of ‘06 (so far). Maybe a little young yet? Alternatively, if you prefer softer cabs or Cabernet + Sangiovese blends, this may be drinking a treat.
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12/31/2017 - vinomex wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for about 30 minutes. Next to a Groth Reserve '11, this came across over the top, it was delicious but the contrast with an old school Cali Cab made this Altamura a little too volumptuous. Enjoyable more on its own than with food. Let it breathe for at least 45 mins to come together
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12/29/2017 - Cholera Likes this wine: 95 Points
So damn good. Had with NY strip steak. Dark ink color. Smells of candied plums and raisins. Long lingering taste of expressive dark fruits chocolate, crepe brûlée and licorice. Well integrated tannins, smooth velvet finish. Based on the fruit still present, I bet this goes another 10 years
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10/28/2017 - fritza wrote: 94 Points
Had this side by side with Shafer HS.
Amazing wine, ready to drink.
Better yet than when I reviewed in 2014.
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10/1/2017 - patwjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pnp, drank over 45 min. So smooth and delicious. Full, sweet, complex fruit, chocolate, minerals. Lots of great stuff here and enjoyable now.
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8/27/2017 - Corrie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Makes me feel stupid for not buying this wine regularly; one of the best wines I've had this year.
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6/17/2017 - gesusser Likes this wine: 95 Points
Most excellent...smooth as glass...in a good place now
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5/16/2017 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a fantastic wine. Still youthful but with loads of flavor. Sorry it's my last. Drank over a couple hours. Great throughout the evening. Be prepared to savor this wine if you have any.
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4/23/2017 - Skip4wine wrote: 95 Points
What can I say. Bought at the winery on release and stored in my cellar since. My third bottle of the case and still maturing nicely although it is now in a sweet spot and will stay there for another 10 years. Great nose, dark fruits the lush mouthfeel that you get in a great wine that is not all about the fruit. The density of this wines mouthfeel sets it apart. Glad I bought the 2012 and 2013 although I haven't tried then yet.
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4/2/2017 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Despite thinning out just a little bit, this bottle still shows impressive blackberry and black currant fruit, with cedar undertones and some oak on the finish. Very nice but definitely a bottle past peak.
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4/2/2017 - skorn5 wrote: 87 Points
Had high hopes for this, but it was off. not corked. some spice in the end, but balance disjointed, high acidity, decanted for 2 hrs..
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3/8/2017 - Smontgo17 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Focused, integrated tannins and well structured. Boysenberry syrup, pencil lead, and hints of vanilla and spice. Delicious and drinking well now.
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2/14/2017 - Porthos. Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big bright fruit with frim tannins. Decanted for an could have use an extra hour.
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2/12/2017 - Tonythefish wrote: 94 Points
Superb wine. Must decant to get air and open it up. Hints of tobacco and cedar, along with dark fruit, lead to above average midpalate and a lasting finish
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12/21/2016 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 95 Points
To be fair this is a 94-95 point wine. Our pairings were perfect (kangaroo loin in a sour cherry reduction and venison rubbed in lavender and sage. ). And I think each of the fruit production sauces against a rare meat really emphasized the tannic structure and gave youth to the fruit in the wine. This wine is superbly balanced and poised. Fruit is red and purple coming on at different points of the profile. Great earth, some smoke and sweet tobacco to augment the fruit, which in the first hour exudes faux sweetness. Oak has died off but vanilla remains.
What most kills me about this wine, is that Altamura has stopped making great wines.
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12/4/2016 - scaredone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big and powerful NAPA cab, very smooth and beautifully made, on the fruit side but not candy, still able to go many many years. We had it with liver and it was good but steak would be a better option. Four left.
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10/10/2016 - ddingley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, bold, juicy, ready. Big time example of the 2007 Napa Cab style
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10/2/2016 - ledwards wrote:
Opaque and dark in color. Waves of blueberres and a hint of red raspberry. Rich but not a fruit bomb. Tanins fully integrated.
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10/2/2016 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Drank with Parents following big soccer Tournie. Amazing stuff that has evolved much for several years. While the french oak and structure are certainly present- the black berry and currant fruit are more relevant and elegant. Cigar box, cedar, and burnt sugar on secondary note with a finish that lasted for nearly a minute on the palate. What a great Calif Cab at this price point. Don't know that this can get much better coming up on a decade.
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9/27/2016 - jmrife Likes this wine: 95 Points
3rd bottle of 1/2 case. Could be bottle variation, but it seems MUCH sweeter than my memory of previous bottle. Still HUGE. Still moderated tannins. Still needs hour or two decant. Clear ring is a full millimeter now - very distinct and color is trending brown from burgundy.
Very drinkable, but still could age without loss IMO.
Why oh why did I buy a 1/2 case.
Because it was $82 a bottle of course.
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8/19/2016 - webbaker Likes this wine: 96 Points
Last bottle in my cellar and really sorry to see it go. Multiple tastings with consistent notes. A very nice bitter flower note on the front end, dandelion. Well balanced with the fruit. Not mind blowing intensity of fruit, but really just right. I would never grow tired of drinking this one. No sign of burnout.
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8/13/2016 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had along with Caymus Special Selection 2007. Paired with grilled beef tenderloin. Both were outstanding wines.
Altamura was much more restrained than the SS. Considerably lighter on its feet. Great fruit with a small amount of cedar and anise. A nice, full mid palate and a very long finish.
At this stage in development, I favor the Altamura. Did not decant either of them and wonder a bit if that would have made a difference?
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8/13/2016 - Delli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine. See previous note. 5+13+17+8=92
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7/14/2016 - WineWright Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted. Light aromas of dark berries, wild cherry, and licorice followed by a soft burning sensation from the alcohol. Medium-plus body with a sweetness to the wine on the palate up front that carries boldly with mouth-filling impact on mid and back palate. Tannins are rounded and integrated and foretell many years ahead. The finish lasts and lasts. A powerful and voluptuous wine.
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5/12/2016 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
30-40 min decant. Beautiful sweet bouquet, dark fruits, floral. Elegant, silky tannins, plums, dark fruits, oak, cassis. Overall, a drop on the sweet side, medium body. The depth and complexity was not quite there; it tasted a bit tired. But still beautiful.
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5/8/2016 - winejnky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Happy Mothers Day! Blackberry, oak, vanilla, with a powerful uplift at mid palate and a strong, lengthy finish. This is fantastic, smooth and elegant, with great fruit and a wonderful grip and finish.
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4/21/2016 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
shellylowen is spot on..even my wife got the plum..but this needs more than the one hour decant we gave it 1st nite..no rush to drink the remaining 5 bottles..this can easily go another 5 years
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4/16/2016 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great plum and blackberry nose, mouth and pallet coating sweet tannins, long finish. Some alcohol on the finish.
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3/21/2016 - Tonythefish wrote: 93 Points
Has evolved into a powerhouse wine with loads of fruit, softened tannins and lasting dinish
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2/21/2016 - scaredone Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red, nose of cherries and fruit, full bodied and satisfying but a touch too much sweetness, a hint more of acidity would really be welcome. Whole case left to see how it progresses.
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1/1/2016 - Shaun Mondavi wrote: flawed
Maderized! Re- corked and will be returning.
ETA- Bottle was returned, new bottle given free of charge. I don't have high hopes as I believe the maderisation was due to storage (they kept this 2007 out in the main store rather than in the fine wine cellar), but they insisted I exchange for the same bottle as I did not have a receipt. They gave me a receipt for the exchange though so if this one sucks I can take it back and get whatever I want. I will update this note when I try, assuming it is good.
ETA: Second bottle was port. Not wasting my time on a third.
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12/30/2015 - Squilber Likes this wine: 95 Points
incredible wine - very smooth with dark and red fruits galore. Some spice and oak to round out the favors. Drank at Abe & Louie's Steakhouse. One of the best wines I've had in awhile.
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11/27/2015 - Lar F wrote: 90 Points
Very big. Lots going on
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11/18/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite solid and drinking well after 2hr decant. Dark fruit profile with black currants. Seemingly low acidity palate but plenty of tannins in the back end give this structure. Long finish, if a little hollow in the mid palate, with a touch of coffee and spice, mixed with dark fruit profile. Very much a Napa cab.
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11/7/2015 - CWilliam wrote:
My palate must have changed as I don't enjoy this style of wine - all fruit (on the sweeter spectrum). I loved this wine in the past (gave it a 95 in 1/2011). It 's a well made wine and if you like big Napa Cabernets it's excellent. My wife and mother-in-law enjoyed it so this is a personal style issue. 90+ for my palate but others really enjoyed. Not a re-buy. [edit] This wine should have a long life - the cotton-candy / vanilla nose wore off on the third night it was open and the fruit / structure held-up. If I don't sell these will drink the remaining bottles 2019+.
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10/25/2015 - Tonythefish wrote: 92 Points
A little raisiny to start but gave way to dark berries and lots of depth. Honey bunny did not enjoy though
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10/25/2015 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just a beautiful wine. No notes, but my guests loved it.
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10/10/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberry and blackberry notes interweave with touches of earth and toasted oak. Very robust and powerful, a little over the top for some but I really liked it.
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10/3/2015 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 95 Points
just awesome. soooo smooth, deep fruit all the way through with nothing overdone. only criticism is the finish is a bit short
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9/30/2015 - Tonythefish wrote:
Must decant. Very tight on the open and needs time for the raisin overtone to burn off. 60 minutes later the begins to evolve
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9/27/2015 - maw246 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Dark ruby red in glass. Wonderful fruit filled nose. Lots of layers on palate with fruit and some tobacco notes. Well balanced. And a finish that is a minute plus. 2 hours later this was just starting to settle down.
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9/17/2015 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pnp, consumed 60/40 over two days. probably just pushed into my wine of the year so far. i was floored by this. deep blackberry, cassis and black cherry. spicy oak aromas that were subtle and intriguing. a little earth. really in quite a surprising spot for its age and what i've come to expect from this winery. the palate was juicy and hugely flavored even before the finish. the finish was long and added some cocoa to the party. if scoring, firm 95, maybe even higher. i think this has some room to improve, too. extremely well done.
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9/2/2015 - WojoWineCave Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this along with a 06 Blankiet and 06 Jarvis Reserve with some friends after a day on the lake. This was my WOTN. Really in a good spot with more depth and character than the others at half the price. Has always been one of my wife's favorite wines. This was #5 wine of year at Spectator a few years back. Medium to full body with some earth, wood on the nose and palate. Much less fruit forward than several years ago if I recall correctly. Last one unfortunately.
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7/17/2015 - Cycle Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great bottle of wine with good friends. I am never disappointed by this winery. Tasted over an hour and by the last sip I wish we had more.
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6/20/2015 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 95 Points
wow! wow! wow! this continues to impress. so silky on the palate with lots of medium to dark fruit with a sold line of vanilla running through the core. a really nice long lasting finish. i dont think this wine can get any better
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6/16/2015 - domco wrote:
We found this to be pretty disappointing unfortunately. Sweet fruit, a lot of oak, a lot of alcohol. Like drinking a cherry liqueur. Bummer.
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5/25/2015 - redknife Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hr and took to smith a wollensky to pair with the Cajun ribeye. A nice big cali cab not my cup of tea but definitively went well with the steaks. Smooth with long finish. No rush to drink
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5/7/2015 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Developing some maturity with anis and forest floor. Just excellent.
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4/28/2015 - wren460 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice wine, but lacked acidity. Smooth wine, heavy dark fruits. Not oaky. I am a Little drunk now. Will recommend yes, is it something to die for? no.
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3/18/2015 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 95 Points
consistent with other btls. just a great pkg here
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3/15/2015 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very decent wine, my first Altamura. Not dense but well balanced, more like Bordeaux. Wasn't great right out of the bottle but steadily improved. Recommended but needs time either in cellar or if opened in glass, couple hours.
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3/7/2015 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle seems to have more oak than I remember from the first bottle 2 years ago. Still, a very nice Cali Cab, but I'm less enthusiastic than I was with that one. No formal notes taken, as this was consumed in a post-wedding celebration.
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2/2/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP - Deep Burgundy w/ touch of rust - clear edges. No nose yet and no heat or tannins. Depth of flavor very good - solid finish.
1 1/2 hours decant - WOW - don't think about drinking this without decant. Totally different wine. Extremely deep flavor profile - a sweet component to the flavor. I understand the comparison to Pinot.
Still no heat or tannin - seems very well integrated.
3 hour decant - ready - full nose - full flavor depth - huge finish.
This is a wine you can get drunk on FAST - extremely drinkable.
With full decant drinkable now - certainly can hold for 2-4 years at least.
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12/27/2014 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
See prior notes
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12/27/2014 - Tonythefish wrote: 94 Points
Ridiculously good and could get better with one more year
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11/1/2014 - GA Old World Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding wine. Very similar tasting notes to those below. Rich Dark Fruit and hints of Vanilla. Decanted for over two hours and had with steak. Great wine after long decant.
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9/20/2014 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 93 Points
amazingly consistent. a wonderful pkg of dark fruit, vanilla with a gentle line of spice running through it. finish is crazy long
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9/20/2014 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Multiple tastings with consistent notes. Pop-n-Pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. This wine continues to impress. Slightly lighter in color than most cabernet in this price range. Continues to remind me of a high end Pinot Noir. Black fruits, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking nicely right now.
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8/19/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured and drank over a few hours. Initially had dark berries and vanilla on the nose. Taste was really dark fruit that was quite enjoyable but it could've used some more secondary flavors.
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8/6/2014 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really really good bottle of wine! Great dark fruit, cedar and leather overtones. Solid overall structure and nice complexity. Mellowed tannins along with a great finish
Nothing to dislike
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7/29/2014 - GlidersWineGym Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent! Opened this up at a wine tasting I hosted, show stopper! Big, great separation, and depth ..
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7/20/2014 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Multiple tastings with consistent notes, wonderful fruit flavors, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking nicely right now.
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6/21/2014 - cr8it wrote: 95 Points
At opening strong cherries, smoke, mineral. A bit fruit forward, with a slowly lingering finish that intesifies towards the end
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6/17/2014 - fritza wrote: 93 Points
dark in color, big on the nose. Lots of delicious dark fruit with a hint of cherry. Silky smooth tannins. Ready to drink now, but still can get better with aging...will allow alcohol heat to mellow, and then who knows, could be 94, 95 points
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5/22/2014 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 95 Points
Some black licorice on the nose, very soft and plush, no overt tannins but plenty of flavor still. Tasted at 2007 Napa cab retrospective and this was my favorite of the night
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5/18/2014 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 93 Points
extremely nice pkg of flavors here. finish needs to round out a bit of everything else was excellent
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5/11/2014 - CR lawrence Likes this wine: 95 Points
Maturing still. A great nose of dark fruits and fresh forest floor wafting through the room, deep garnet in color, and a full body that's packing heat, tastes of dark fruits, mushroom, blackberry and black currant that shouts "let's go kick some Châteauneuf - du - Pape butt, and gimme a steak!". All this with satin tannins and tastes that linger on and on. Not for the weak of heart.
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4/21/2014 - CR lawrence Likes this wine: 94 Points
Altamura has been one of my favorites over the years... this one was no exception with spaghetti, and wife is off to a civic meeting. It is one of my go-to wines when we have a curious, novice wine drinker; and experienced wine drinkers know to appreciate this wine as well. This 2007 is a touch sweet, it's nose is med-strong, dark fruit, cassis, black truffle; it possesses an in your face smooth and enveloping experience in the mouth that gets your attention, mouth-watering as well. It does need a 90 minute+ decant to really show its stuff.
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3/13/2014 - Lakejoy10808@hotmail.com Likes this wine:
Sweet and sour with an alcohol heat and cherry flavor. Smooth with integrated tannins.
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2/16/2014 - themki wrote: 94 Points
Rich dark fruit, cassis, chocolate, with smooth tannins. Delicious, massive length.
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2/11/2014 - Pulling Corks wrote: 94 Points
Had with meal with bill Phillips - really nice! Fantastic steak and amazing wine
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1/24/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Crushed rocks, flint, mint and raw beef. The palate is big and brawny with chocolate, beef and biting tannins. Ive seen notes saying that this is an overblown flabby wine but I think it is very structured and might turn into something much better over the next few years. Nice.
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1/24/2014 - Petek26 wrote: 94 Points
Pretty freaking good! Very smooth from start to finish. Ruby color. Dark cherries and plum. Not very tannic or earthy. Slightly sweet but in a good way.
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1/18/2014 - JJB1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great bottle, fabulous finish and good to the last drop!
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1/1/2014 - brigcampbell wrote: 88 Points
My first impressions were this is overly extracted and sweet, very "Caymus-like". The wine looks Inky colored, like a petite sirah. The legs are Slow. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Blackberry, High Toast, Espresso, and Vanilla. It tastes like Blackberry, Blueberry, Black currant (cassis), Espresso, and Chocolate. There is a significant jammy quality with a gritty chalk note. The body is Medium. The wine has Round texture. The wine finishes Medium.
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12/5/2013 - THA wrote:
Unmistakably California -- big, brooding, dark, rich, and deep. But what elevates this wine above the chocolate syrup being sold as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon today is its weightlessness. For all of its richness and depth, it remains a nearly weightless wine, lending itself to a satisfying second glass. One complaint, however, is its woody, toasty vanilla oak flavors, which should have been dialed back a bit. Recent tasters who noted that this wine is in a bit of a closed phase are also correct.
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12/5/2013 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 95 Points
Double decanted for thirty minutes, but the wine really opened after thirty minutes in the glass. After an hour the tannins were beautiful and round. This is not a heavily oaked cab. This is like a lady's NFL line backer in a ballet. Smooth, elegant but with some muscle yet finesse. The wine will benefit as a pop and pour with age, but it's drinking beautifully now.
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12/2/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Not decanted.
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11/27/2013 - DarinC Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brooding and mostly closed upon opening. After 2 hours in the bottle it began to open up a bit to show very ripe plums, blackberry jam, cassis, and chocolate, with a hint of spice. Full and rich with a moderate finish. Even with a coolish 70F serving temp it showed some distracting heat. Nowhere near as expressive or complex as it was on release.
Day 2 it opened up quite a bit to show a few more layers with some earth and the lovely baking spice character that I usually taste in Altamura. Still some heat evident. Similar to showing to a couple years ago but still in a awkward phase. I'd hold till 2015 or decant for at least a few hours. 90+
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11/27/2013 - Tonythefish wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet color. A lot of rich fruit, some cassis and supple tannins. Great mouth feel and lasting finish. Super wine, as usual, from a great producer
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11/16/2013 - jperez68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
well, I was surprised at the fruity nature of this wine, don't get me wrong, it was excellent but maybe I was expecting a classic Cab. This wine has flavors of plum,vanilla,cherries a long finish that I can't put to a final expression . It reminds me of the finish on some Spanish sherries but less alcohol. Slight sweetness in the finish but ends with a final blast of dryness. To those who have a bottle they should try it and will probably be impressed with what they get in this mysterious wine.
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10/30/2013 - Rick 4 Wine wrote: 93 Points
Drank this after opening and decanting for about an hour to two hours. Much better after two. This was at cellar temp and we let it rest at room temp for an hour before opening. Wine needs two hours to open but opening is different than for many wines. Opening for this wine is much more than just fruit. I am talking layers and layers of terroir with some dark graphite that smacks of spring mountain hillside and then more earthy soil like a non Obsidian Howell Mountain. Fruit is dark and brooding that fades into heavy tannins.
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9/15/2013 - CWilliam wrote:
Drank for my wife's birthday. Decanted for 2 hours before serving with grilled Filet. After an '08 Bordeaux (Reignac) the cassis and big fruit was more evident from my prior tasting 2 years ago. I did not take notes but 93+ this go around. One of my favorite Napa Cabernets. Fruit (cassis, blackberry, black cherry) was bigger this time but it was not jammy and was balanced by the acidity & tannins. Would buy again. 93+
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8/11/2013 - rb415 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with other notes...
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8/11/2013 - winejnky wrote: 94 Points
Served for Jennifer's birthday this was very popular; ripe cherry, cassis, a hint of pine tar and oak; very smooth yet full bodied, the kind of wine you could drink all night (all the time if it didn't cost so much).
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7/21/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 4 hours, then consumed over the next 10. Consistent with previous tastings. Gobs of rich fruit, touches of smoked meat and tar, good fruit & tannic balance. An excellent Napa cab.
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7/14/2013 - wren460 wrote: 90 Points
What happened here ? I have always loved this wine! not this time....
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5/31/2013 - texag96 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine. Needs a couple of hours to open. Leave it another couple of years
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5/25/2013 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Burned one on my sister's and my birthday. Wish that it would have breathed longer in the decanter, or that I would have waited another 2 years (as was my plan). Didn't think that the fruit was very pronounced. Maybe the most velvety wine that I've ever had. Reminded me of a Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cab. I still have two bottles left and will wait for it to come together a little more.
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4/7/2013 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
My second time with this wine...first bottle was two years ago. This wine has softened and broadened on the palate, still full-bodied with a long finish, but has lost some structure and complexity.
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3/3/2013 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Blind Food and Wine Pairing Dinner: (Peter & Sandra's): Blind dinner Anita: Rich, creamy, blackberry, cassis, cigar, oaky, lower acidity; classic, big bold Napa Cab, but a bit over the top for the beef short ribs.
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2/23/2013 - conga523 wrote: 93 Points
Altamira wines are very unique. Deep dark earth flavors, coffee, tobacco, hints of chocolate with a slight chewy and chalky mouth feel. Tremendous depth and a finish measured in minutes.
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2/11/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding! Decanted through vinaerator and a secondary filtered funnel. No sediment found on the filter or eveident on the side of the bottle. Nose was a bit tight initially - later it opened gracefully to berries, cherries and floral notes. The garnet color experienced during decanting became dense, dark ink once collected. Fantastic integration and balance with nuances of complexity. Each sip exposed somethning new and interesting. Well porportioned tasting experience with equal weight to the nose, fruit, acidity, tannins and heat. Deep wonderful layer of fruit on the back palate. I loved this wine! But then for the price, so it should be. Ready to drink now - after a couple hours of decanting, but should hold up very nice for decades.
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1/19/2013 - THA Likes this wine:
As expected. Rich, ripe, lush and long. Delicious.
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1/10/2013 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nothing not to like about this wine. Drink it now. In its sweet spot. Beautiful dark fruit flavors with a hint of tobacco. An elegant cab. Don't miss this one. One of the best Altimuras ever. Try it.
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1/5/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fourth tasting with consistent notes, wonderful fruit flavors, hints of tobacco and tar, nice touch of minerals, good tannic balance. Drinking beautifully. This is why I drink CA cab.
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12/27/2012 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Big and brawny nose full of smoke and charred notes. The palate is loaded with ripe plums and chocolate. A bit chewy still but a monster of a wine. I like it a lot.
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12/23/2012 - danseng wrote: 85 Points
Agree completely with jonysan. This is not what I expected. Had with O'Shaunessey and Lamborn and this was awful in comparison.
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12/19/2012 - wren460 wrote: 94 Points
2nd time with this wine...incredible, very very very nice.
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12/7/2012 - jonysan Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Nondescript dark fruit laced with raisiny flavors. Flabby and lacking structure. Little tannin. Spikes of heat on the short finish. Not what I was expecting...disappointing.
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11/11/2012 - scaredone wrote: 95 Points
Beeeyooooteeeful. Decanted for 2 hours. Dark cherry red enough that you cannot see through it, great nose of black cherries, coffee and all kinds of complexities that I cannot define. New world style but top notch, old world bye bye. Just great. Better in three to seven years.
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11/10/2012 - BalsamWino wrote: 86 Points
Way over-rated
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11/10/2012 - wren460 wrote: 94 Points
Incredible cabernet. Not a fruit bomb at all, but still very new world. Dark fruit, lots of oak but no vanilla (¿?), some cigar and even smoke. Very well balanced. Nice acidity. At $90 it is a buy. A serious wine that is not over the top in any way.
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10/15/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 94 Points
Black currants, sweet black cherries, medium full bodies, tannins are present, but well in the background.
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10/14/2012 - WineScoundrel wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely fantastic. One of the best wines I've ever had, at any price.
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9/22/2012 - treaganjr wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle of wine.
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9/13/2012 - wallstreet wrote: 93 Points
Excellent cab with a few years of bottle age. Will still improve but I think it will plese today. Not a fruit bomb. Very nicely balanced
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9/6/2012 - jeffm_fla wrote: 97 Points
This wine keeps getting better. Bright fruit and underlying finesse that should help it improve for years to come. I didn't take notes, but each sip was remarkable. I have 6 bottles left and need real discipline to make it last.
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8/29/2012 - handymom wrote: 93 Points
Drank at Vie in Western Springs, Il. Wonderful. Went well with the rabbit dish!
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8/21/2012 - Empirate wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour through vinturi. Consumed over 1.5 hours. Midnight black. Generous nose of dark flesh fruit. Concentrated, powerful on the palate. Dark cherry and perhaps currant, touch of unsweetened chocolate and a vegetal note. Subtle oak and still firm tannins. Excellent and enjoyed with simple red sauce and angel hair pasta but may not play well with less acidic or more delicate fare. Probably better with decant as it improved with a little coaxing in the glass, or hold. 92+
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8/21/2012 - webbaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Third tasting with consistent notes, wonderful fruit flavors, nice balance between fruit, tannins and aromatics. Outstanding.
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8/14/2012 - Julex wrote: 96 Points
Wonderful wine.
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8/11/2012 - dnorris100 wrote: 93 Points
Wow. Big, powerful, thick and creamy. Great nose, dark berry palate, well balanced with nice tannins and a very long finish. Highly recommended. Saved 10$ buying this bottle at Costco.
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8/5/2012 - meatbomb013 wrote: 96 Points
Sweet, dense, concentrated, acidic with fine tannins. All without any decant. Can't wait to have another but should wait for another couple of years.
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7/29/2012 - dekay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose took some time to open up, and remained faint, with cassis and plum. Gorgeous on the palate -- fruit driven yet light and layered. Starts with classic cab dark berry, deepens with spice, vanilla and a bit of cacao, and ends by caressing the palate with the essense of cherry skin - Rainier - and extends into a medium long finish with a more intense sense of cacao and vanilla. Young, but may turn out to drink better early, as the Altamura has complexity but not intensity
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7/26/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
This was BIG, THICK and SWEET. Dessert wine after having a 1995 cab with dinner. There is lots of everything here but seems too young to me. I've had 2003 and 2004 vintages and loved then more as they had matured a bit more than this one. Dark fruit, chocolate, vanilla on the palate. Nose was dominated by cedar. Potential for a bigger score with age but too juvenile for me at this point. 90+
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7/23/2012 - winejnky wrote: 93 Points
Big yet polished CS, gobs of fruit and very smooth; pop and pour yet I imagine this would be even better after an hour or two in a decanter.
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7/4/2012 - mateo-san wrote: 96 Points
Excellent. One of favorite great QPR cab. Must age10+ years. No decant time needed any more.
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7/1/2012 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent notes from previous tasting, outstanding. Fruit bomb.
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6/18/2012 - Flesh wrote: 93 Points
I went to a wine dinner and this wine was amazing, but came in 4th in a blind tasting, losing to a Staglin and and Furth. Was very nice and I chose it second out of 8.
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6/1/2012 - tp096255 wrote: 93 Points
---
COLOR: Garnet with Garnet-Ruby rim
NOTE: Nose is loads of grilled plum, plum liqueur, tobacco, anise and cinamon. Mouth is opulent plum liqueur (like the kind they make in France) with grilled cherries, cinnamon. Finish is sweet with glycerin, much more black and red cherry jam, kirsch, tobacco & tar. Great stuff and good QPR for the quality.
DECANT: 1 hour
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.3+
OTHER:
COST: 90
VALUE: 8.0
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: see prior notes
TRY AGAIN: now - 2017
PAIRING:
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
---
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5/30/2012 - buddy117 wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle - loaded with fruit and opens up beautifully over an hour or two.
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5/6/2012 - mateo-san wrote: 96 Points
Excellent wine. this is my third bottle. feel getting nicely aged. will wait for another six month for the next one.
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4/27/2012 - ChadRS wrote: 97 Points
Deep rich purple in the glass, heavy. Loaded with dark fruit on the nose, chocolate mixed in the palate, sweet plush tannins and a finish that lingers. How does it get this good? No decant time on this bottle and it was fantastic.
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3/25/2012 - rb415 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mocha and chocolate on nose and through midpalate. Exceptional balance and texture throughout midplate with similar flavors on finish which lasts for about 30 seconds. This wine needs another 5-10 to truly develop as it is still drinking young.
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3/9/2012 - APatHB wrote: 94 Points
Definitely the Cab of the year so far. Fruit heavy with lots of deep flavors. This is a pretty heavy wine with a good amount of alcohol. Drinks smoothly right out of the bottle, we took it to a restaurant. I will aerate and decant the next one, but I think I'm going to hold off at least a year, probably two, this could easily go 97+ in the future.
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2/19/2012 - Santaliz wrote: 96 Points
Brought this one to dinner with my wine snob buddy who couldn't say anythng but very nice. Consisentely a great wine with aroma, balance and fuit. Feel the heat and enjoy the steak
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2/19/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 95 Points
Excellent wine, tremendous fruit
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2/19/2012 - agebob wrote: 95 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, mushroom and dusty with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a medium finish - Decanted for an hour. Deep red color with a floral nose. Bright, ripe cherry with a touch of spice explodes on the palate. Earthy flavors blend with licorice and anise. Subtle tannins integrate with all the other flavors. Perfectly balanced, it should age well for years, but it is hard to resist now.
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2/11/2012 - kmizzel Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Total fruit bomb. Give this one a few years to mellow out.
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2/11/2012 - FriendsInTown wrote: 96 Points
Excellent wine
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2/5/2012 - Flesh wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine.....drinks great right out of the bottle without any decanting.
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1/14/2012 - ChadRS wrote: 96 Points
Simply outstanding. Rich, loaded with dark fruit, sweet integrated tannins, and a finish that lingers.
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12/31/2011 - km5 wrote:
are you folks for real? can't really enjoy a full glass of this wine...too rich and sweet like cheesecake...fine if it's cheesecake. good for those who like to drink syrup but this is supposed to be a cab. great as a dessert wine. i still liked the 06 better. i don't give points any more but am compelled to rate this one.
1/2/2012 update: left bottle outside...and tasted tonight with peking duck...to be fair, i'm removing the low points....it is much tastier and pairs deliciously with peking duck. not terribly sweet.
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12/31/2011 - Niagara wrote:
Good gawd, this is so huge and syrupy I can't even imagine what food would stand up to it. I won't rate it since for those so inclined it might be great. To my taste, it's thick, sticky, and cloying.
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12/31/2011 - drgrape wrote: 94 Points
Not from Rutherford, but still a little dusty. Rich sweet cherries and chewy. Outstanding.
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12/31/2011 - Santaliz wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hrs and recevied great feed back on Christmas eve on this favorite in the cellar.
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12/22/2011 - spv wrote: 95 Points
Served with a beef tenderloin. This is great - would buy more if I could
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12/16/2011 - WineScoundrel wrote: flawed
No notes, to be fair. PnP and way too cold.
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12/10/2011 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
massive fruit, good balance, outstanding
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12/4/2011 - Markroseman wrote: 87 Points
Given other ratings disappointing. Big smooth wine but bitter aftertaste.
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12/3/2011 - amazin1986 wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Decanted briefly. Big, full wine but not overwhelming. Tasted black cherry and chocolate. This is a great wine that should evolve with time. Highly recommended.
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12/2/2011 - East of Napa wrote: 92 Points
real nice, drank with Pete Brian and kirk.
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11/16/2011 - markcic wrote: 93 Points
Steve, Joe and I drank a bottle at lunch at Il Villagio. We had it decanted but only for about 30 minutes before temptation took over and we started to drink it. This is a big wine with a big nose of crushed fruit, spices and earth flavors on the palate with swirling tastes of caramel and coffee in the long finsh. Two or three more years in the botle and I am sure it will be a 95 - ten to fifteen years will probably make it a 98.
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11/12/2011 - CWilliam wrote: 95 Points
I have great memories of Altamura's wines and the last Altamura that I had was from the 1999 vintage. We opened this bottle to celebrate the adoption of our newest Golden Retriever and served with grilled NY Strips after a 1.5 hour decant. Dark black / reddish color. On nose, cedar, blackberry, black tea (and some oak undertones as well). On the palate, full bodied but not over the top as the acidity & stout (but well integrated) tannins provide balance. Cassiss, coffee, licorice & layers of black fruit . Very long finish. Excellent and one of the few wines at this price point that I would buy again. 94-96 range.
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11/11/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
Altamura mini-vert with Mark & Kim (Spencer's @ the Hilton on I-Drive): Wawaweewa was this every good. Right out of the bottle singing a siren's song of gorgeous blackberry, cassis, and black cherry fruit with some sweet tobacco and vanillin oak. The best textured of the 3 wines in the mini-vert '06-'08; plush, velvety and still fresh and lively. A long, billowy finish of more black and red fruits, chocolate-y oak, and some nice savory herbs. The first bottle of this I had was either "off" or bottle-shocked; this was outstanding and worth every point Spectator gave it. My WOTN in the vert.
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11/5/2011 - ChadRS wrote: 97 Points
Simply fabulous wine. If you're fortunate enough to get your hands on a few more bottles grab them. Decanted for 1.5 hours. Coffee, a little tobacco, and fruit on the nose. Rich silky palate with dark fruit - currant, blackberry, with a touch of sweetness. Smooth finish, with a note of chocolate.
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11/1/2011 - tp096255 wrote: 94 Points
---
COLOR: Opaque garnet with light-garnet rim
NOTE: This is approaching Schrader quality. It's blackberry liqueur poured over hot cracked granite, Saigon cinnamon, anise, leather and a little tar, some loamy-earthy notes, 60% cocoa powder. No heat at all. Mouth is decadently rich, very fruit forward with sweet glycerin, blackberry liqueur again, cassis, some kirsch, faintest whiff of heat, then it rolls on into a 30 second finish with all the same flavors, more baking spices, burnt marshmallow. Yikes this is good. I need to get more. It's great straight out of the bottle but gets better as it sits. Great acidity that you never notice, and that makes it easy to enjoy glass after glass.
DECANT: 3 hours
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.4
OTHER:
COST: 90
VALUE: 8.9
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: n/a
TRY AGAIN: 2012+
PAIRING: ribeye
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
---
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11/1/2011 - williamswhine wrote: 96 Points
What a great wine. Seems Altamura never disappoints. I would recommend this wine to anyone. Decanted for about an hour. Great nose, explodes in your mouth, nice velvety/silk and long finish. Dark fruit, blackberry, coffee... yummy!
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10/29/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Scary Good Reds, Rated 90 Points and Above (Farpointe Cellar): Coffee bean and pencil lead on the nose, with earth and cherry in the middle, and dark fruit at the end. Rich and dark on the palate, with earth and graphite, and a great dark fruit finish.
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10/29/2011 - atwkite wrote:
Best wine of the 07 Cabs I have had, similar to 08 Caymus, but better structure. Tannins begin to break through on the finish after a few glasses, this will get better with age.
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10/29/2011 - atwkite wrote: 96 Points
Best wine of the 07s I have had, similar to 08 Caymus, but better structure. Tannins begin to break through on the finish after a few glasses, this will get better with age.
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10/11/2011 - Pinot Evil wrote: 96 Points
Had this wine in Washington DC, Adour it was a fabulous wine that the sommelier recommended and we loved and found out later it was the WS #5 wine of 2010, we each had the 5 course tastings but Brenda's vegetable tasting was better than mine. A lovely wine and evening. Nice anise notes smooth mouth feel.
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10/6/2011 - rdsboca wrote: 92 Points
I was shocked that this was all cab. If blind, I would have guessed merlot blend. Primary flavors were blue fruit - plum and some blueberry with a cinnamon component. Wine exhibited nice mouthfell and a decent finish.
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9/2/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club Mixed Bag of $50 plus Reds (John's House): A wine with tons of potential. On the nose spice, dark fruits and oak. The palate reveals some sweet fruit, spice, oak and earth notes. Medium to long finish. The wine was decanted and for 3 hours and went through the Vinturi over six times. It still wasn't completely open for business. I see this as a great decade age worthy wine and I think you will be rewarded.
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8/28/2011 - bobpsi wrote: 90 Points
1 Hr decant. Big sweet black fruit nose with vanilla and spice nose. Lots of blackberry and currant flavors with some vanilla and tobacco. Long finish . I found it a little flabby, the fruit was big but a little dull or it would have ranked higher.
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8/19/2011 - MattMauldin wrote: 89 Points
Drank at a tasting, 1 hour decant. Black ruby color and full body. Aromas of band-aid, black cherry, currant, mineral, and leather. The palate brought notes of black and blue jammy fruit, along with tons of big oak notes- coffee, toffee, espresso, vanilla. A little grainy in feel with firm round tannins. Lengthy finish with bittersweet flavors. An oaky and ripe Cab with decent structure. Enjoyable, but not distinctive IMO.
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8/10/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Mini Offline with Bordeaux and Napa Wines featuring 1996 Poyferre & Mondavi (John's House): Purple, inky color. Nose has a ton of fruit, blueberry followed by blackberry, and then some cassis. There was some earth that developed over an hour that gave this some more character. The palate is ultra lush, dense, velvety, with sweet tannins that have melted into the wine nicely already. The ripe black fruits are complex and layered. Initially I found some heat here, which seemed to blow off after an hour. This is huge, young wine that could evolve into something spectacular. This will be fun to see in a few years. 93+pts.
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7/24/2011 - Mel-o-Vino wrote: 90 Points
Big, big wine. Decanted for 5 hours. The wine has beautiful balance, but seemed to lack the complexity I expected. Beautiful nose of dark fruits and a bit of earth. Palate was more dark fruits....slight sweetness. The finish opened up the longer it was in the glass. I think I need to hold the next bottle for a couple years...am curious where this will go.
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6/21/2011 - afu wrote: 95 Points
A real surprise, an '07 that can be drunk now or cellared for future enjoyment. Nose of dark dark fruit and coffee/chocolate. The wine is inherently rich, sweet and pure, not sweet in a sugary way…think sacramental wine but in a very enjoyable approachable way, no harsh tannins at all. Reminiscent of Caymus though sweeter and more pure. Plenty of dark sweet fruit, but very well balanced, not a fruit bomb at all. Layered and complex with lengthy finish to savor. Pretty obvious this is a wine we enjoyed immensely and can only imagine what some serious breathing time would do.
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6/20/2011 - Jab_343434 wrote:
in line with my other rating
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6/1/2011 - winejow wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and has flavours of black currant, blackberry, diacetyl (butter) and chocolate with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Decanted for 45 minutes. Opened up nicely. Beautiful garnet, almost bloody color. Not very much nose (mabye drank it a little young?) A very well made wine, strong raisin, licorice, berry. Long on the palate.
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4/26/2011 - Sbarrocas wrote: 93 Points
Not ready to drink yet, decanter it for 3 hours, probably could of used another 3 hours. Got better as it opened up, but still to young.
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4/8/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
this has the stuffing to be fantastic, but it is not showing its best yet. very tight and relatively one-dimensional at this stage. sweet oak and black cherries on the nose, but a short-ish finish that i'm not used to with altamura cabs. maybe we didn't decant it long enough, but we left it in the decanter during the 2.5 hours of the meal and it just never opened up.
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4/1/2011 - km5 wrote: 91 Points
sweet oak, full of potential, young
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3/26/2011 - km5 wrote: 91 Points
I do love altamura (have2) but honestly this bottle is not ready and drinking worse than 06. Tasted with Italian and up against more mature ones. Smootan easy and full but No distinct character or impression in the nose or mouth. The comparison is not fair I know. But if it were blind taste I would not give it 95. Need a day of breathing to form it's great taste is my guess.
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3/14/2011 - wineotim wrote: 94 Points
Couldn't resist opening this now. Some cocoa and anise aromas, very dark violet color, nicely weighted and balanced, deep dark cherry and cassis flavors with a huge, concentrated finish...have never experienced a finish like this. Will try my last bottle next year at the earliest.
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3/13/2011 - Jab_343434 wrote: 96 Points
A truly outstanding wine! Decanted for about 2 1/2 hours before drinking. Aromas of plums and coffee on the nose. Subtle fruit on the palate and an incredibly smooth finish with hints of oak and mild tannins. Paired terrific with pork and ancho bourbon sauce.
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3/12/2011 - flying_wineau Likes this wine: 95 Points
Balanced and structured, with lovely dark fruit, anise, and asparagus. The #5 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2010.
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3/5/2011 - cookie7 wrote:
Very concentrated and fruit forward. Still showing it's youth. Hold the remaining bottles.
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2/18/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 94 Points
Very similar to the 06. Gratuitous cab with concentrated mocha and cassis. A beautiful, well balanced wine. As of June 2011, FINALLY tasting better than 06. Wow, what a wine.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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2/5/2011 - km5 wrote: 92 Points
A bit young tasting...not ready.. 06 was better and more ready to drink than 07. Tonight, this bottle was up against 2005 Caymus SS...started off at the same level but then SS took off. Nevertheless, still delicious.
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2/3/2011 - GreatLibations wrote: 97 Points
OMFG! This is the bomb. Pours almost black with reddish purple around the rim. Strong aromatics at play here pushing ripe red berries, plum and cherries with some cinnamon stick spice and a bit of green chili. Full body with exceptionally balanced acid and velvet cloth like tannins. On the palate I catch a glimpse of crushed rocks, black currant, creme de cassis, graphite, coffee and veggies along with all the nose fruit. This beauty is classy and quite light on the palate considering it's hefty appearance. Supremely balanced and quite stylish with a generous disposition worn on it's sleeve. Amazing wine! (I popped and poured)
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1/29/2011 - GODAN wrote: 91 Points
Finally tasting the '07 Altamura cab. It has great potential, but not drinking as well as the '06 yet.
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1/25/2011 - Swebby wrote: 96 Points
Great bargain for the price. Let it breath for a while.
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12/10/2010 - glen@wooden.com wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic. Velvety smooth, great fruit and finish. Really nice!
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12/10/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 96 Points
Wow. This is an amazing wine. Very tannic at first, but opens up nicely. Great fruit and unique flavors. Slightly green (or maybe earthy/olive -- but very pleasant) notes along with bright dark fruit, a bit of coffee and maybe some cocoa. This is too young to drink now, but I just couldn't wait. Give it some air before drinking.
I've been a big fan of Altamura since Vinfolio was pushing the '99 a few years ago, and this may be their best effort yet. I went "all in" and bought a case of this wine, even though I've been mostly limiting myself to 2 or 3 bottles of the '07 Napa cabs in order to try a greater number of wines.
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12/8/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 96 Points
Wow. This is an amazing wine. Very tannic at first, but opens up nicely. Great fruit and unique flavors. Slightly green (but very pleasant) notes along with bright dark fruit, a bit of coffee and maybe some cocoa. This is too young to drink now, but I just couldn't wait. Give it some air before drinking.
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12/1/2010 - Uglypinga wrote:
My mother in law's maiden name is Altamura. So I opened one of these for Thanksgiving. Big, chocolate nose with dark fruits and game. The palate is thick and chewy, with a lot of mocha flavors and cassis. Thick on the palate and tannins to spare. The fruit was big enough to be a crowd pleaser even though my relatives are not winos...Like it a lot.
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10/30/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
I found this essentially undrinkable. Dominant notes of burnt oak on the nose, with overripe, almost stewed black currant fruit. In the mouth, monolithic, with extremely ripe fruit, a wall of oak, and searing heat on the finish. This was not a matter of my palate being off. This was, in a word, terrible. D
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