A nice savoury nose with notes of dried leaves, roasted fennel, blueberries and star anise. Palate is rich and dry, earthy spices and herbs. Good fermented beans. Medium-bodied structure. Texture is seamless and velvety. Finish is extended and elegant. Still need time in the bottle, an hour of breathing will open up the wine more.
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Beautiful Cab Franc right now...black raspberry, dark plum, and black cherries. Notes of sweet herbs, spice, coffee, tar, and a mineral component at the end. Still has some firm acidity tannins and good long finish. So good right now.
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I enjoyed this more than previous bottles, it seemed more open and more complexity/evolution showing. Decanted over two hours before and consumed over another two with food.
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I have scored this before and have similar notes re the richness and intensity of fruit. However my impression this time is that it is slightly too old and is on it's way down. Still an enjoyable bottle and given my other note this may just be a single bottle experience but my gut says drink-up!
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Decanted and shed a lot of sediment. The wine appears very youthful given its just into its 14th year. Initially a powerful, rich nose and a very Italian style palate. I struggled to detect the usual flavour profile of a Cabernet Franc and, as the wine took on more air, I felt it became less rewarding, with not enough fruit to match the big structure that I'm guessing has come from heavy extraction and oak ageing. I've not been too critical in my marking because M & Y both enjoyed it, liking the rather big, tannic style. I have 4 more of these but not sure whether to drink now or hold to see if it rounds out at all.
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Simply superb. a big fruit cloak covering a still robust and youthful frame - the tannins and acidity positively tingle on the tongue. There is some leather now but the structure tells me this will age for a long while yet. Definitely dark fruits, long complex finish.
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This was smoking good right out of the bottle. Went ahead and decanted it, but not sure that it is necessary. At a great stage right now. Cab franc. Highly recommended.
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Duemani Portfolio Tasting (Crystal Wines): Tasted during Duemani portfolio wine tasting. Dark garnet core just a slight brick red edge showing hints of age. Lifted nose and very expressive, showing balsamic, spice, sour cherry, red berries, plum and perfume oak. It has some rustic feel on palate, but very polished, along with subtle flavor of sour cherry, balsamic, blackcurrant and some leathery notes. Really nice sweet tannins with fine soft grip. It seems getting ready with nice complexity but still need few more years to peak. For a wine made from young vines that planted in 2001, this is indeed very impressive with its quality. However, it does not show much of the varietal expression that I familiar with. If tasted blind I can still relate to Italy but would be hard-pressed to tell it is a Cab Franc. That said, this is a more terroir driven wine.
opague in colour.nose is quite alive with smoked meat, some tobacco, a leafy note, smashed dark berries and gravel. Palate is still tight and need time in a decanter, or better yet more time sideways in the cellar, but does reveal a distinct leafy character borderlining a green vegetal bitter note but in a pleasant way, more gravel, vulcanic dust, unripe blackberry, cool eucalyptus and other wonderful complexities. Finish is medium+, balance is great and i think this could improve well with more cellar time to flesh out on the palate and to build momemtum on the finish. Excellent now, with potential to be very special.
On day two after spending the night in the fridge, the nose has developed more, and now complements with even more vulcanic and earthy notes, road tar and cigar smoke. palate is still tightly coiled. This is a wine with character and personality
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4/16/2024 - Psdycp wrote: 92 Points
A nice savoury nose with notes of dried leaves, roasted fennel, blueberries and star anise. Palate is rich and dry, earthy spices and herbs. Good fermented beans. Medium-bodied structure. Texture is seamless and velvety. Finish is extended and elegant. Still need time in the bottle, an hour of breathing will open up the wine more.
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6/22/2023 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful Cab Franc right now...black raspberry, dark plum, and black cherries. Notes of sweet herbs, spice, coffee, tar, and a mineral component at the end. Still has some firm acidity tannins and good long finish. So good right now.
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2/12/2023 - chrisdgsmith@hotmail.co.uk Likes this wine: 91 Points
I enjoyed this more than previous bottles, it seemed more open and more complexity/evolution showing. Decanted over two hours before and consumed over another two with food.
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7/31/2022 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have scored this before and have similar notes re the richness and intensity of fruit. However my impression this time is that it is slightly too old and is on it's way down. Still an enjoyable bottle and given my other note this may just be a single bottle experience but my gut says drink-up!
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5/14/2021 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brief decant then incredibly enjoyable
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2/4/2020 - magnum1 wrote: 89 Points
Big, mature, leathered Cab Franc. Not my style but nothing wrong with it. Peppery nose, with a lean but slightly hot finish. 14.5%.
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1/2/2020 - chrisdgsmith@hotmail.co.uk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted and shed a lot of sediment. The wine appears very youthful given its just into its 14th year. Initially a powerful, rich nose and a very Italian style palate. I struggled to detect the usual flavour profile of a Cabernet Franc and, as the wine took on more air, I felt it became less rewarding, with not enough fruit to match the big structure that I'm guessing has come from heavy extraction and oak ageing. I've not been too critical in my marking because M & Y both enjoyed it, liking the rather big, tannic style. I have 4 more of these but not sure whether to drink now or hold to see if it rounds out at all.
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11/3/2019 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply superb. a big fruit cloak covering a still robust and youthful frame - the tannins and acidity positively tingle on the tongue. There is some leather now but the structure tells me this will age for a long while yet. Definitely dark fruits, long complex finish.
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8/24/2019 - Ward Huang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very high quality and mature CF.
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3/4/2017 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was smoking good right out of the bottle. Went ahead and decanted it, but not sure that it is necessary. At a great stage right now. Cab franc. Highly recommended.
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10/3/2016 - Sirmika Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wieder zu kurz dekantiert. Traumhafter Wein
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4/27/2015 - hkm520240 wrote: 93 Points
Duemani Portfolio Tasting (Crystal Wines): Tasted during Duemani portfolio wine tasting.
Dark garnet core just a slight brick red edge showing hints of age. Lifted nose and very expressive, showing balsamic, spice, sour cherry, red berries, plum and perfume oak.
It has some rustic feel on palate, but very polished, along with subtle flavor of sour cherry, balsamic, blackcurrant and some leathery notes. Really nice sweet tannins with fine soft grip.
It seems getting ready with nice complexity but still need few more years to peak. For a wine made from young vines that planted in 2001, this is indeed very impressive with its quality. However, it does not show much of the varietal expression that I familiar with. If tasted blind I can still relate to Italy but would be hard-pressed to tell it is a Cab Franc. That said, this is a more terroir driven wine.
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12/27/2014 - mattias_hansen@hotmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
opague in colour.nose is quite alive with smoked meat, some tobacco, a leafy note, smashed dark berries and gravel. Palate is still tight and need time in a decanter, or better yet more time sideways in the cellar, but does reveal a distinct leafy character borderlining a green vegetal bitter note but in a pleasant way, more gravel, vulcanic dust, unripe blackberry, cool eucalyptus and other wonderful complexities. Finish is medium+, balance is great and i think this could improve well with more cellar time to flesh out on the palate and to build momemtum on the finish. Excellent now, with potential to be very special.
On day two after spending the night in the fridge, the nose has developed more, and now complements with even more vulcanic and earthy notes, road tar and cigar smoke. palate is still tightly coiled. This is a wine with character and personality
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3/24/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 92 Points
we agree that is has the propesity to exhibit smoke, cigar-box spice, sweet herbs, smashed berries and roasted meat
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