Received as party gift. Dark, opaque crimson. Decanted - sediment in bottle. Insipid, plummy nose; slight trace of eucalyptus. Black plum, mint and milk chocolate on the palate. Tannins (or effervesence?) on the medium finish. Either well passed its prime or never was. Generally avoid the large Napa producers for this reason. Much is lost in the large vats...
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Many will like this for its Grape Kool-Aid formulaic punch, but for those looking for something a little more viniferously subtle that tastes more like Cabernet Sauvignon and less punchy, you may be as disappointed as I. To be fair, at 12 years, this juice was drinking nicely in its style, the "Big Oak" has mellowed out, the fruit is still present, the sweetness is just a tad less than cloying, and there are no signs of being over the hill. Likely it's at its peak. I do love big, bold, fruit-dominant Cabs, but when they are so over-the-top that they take on candied flavors, they lose me.
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12/16/2023 - vino_per_tutti Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Received as party gift. Dark, opaque crimson. Decanted - sediment in bottle. Insipid, plummy nose; slight trace of eucalyptus. Black plum, mint and milk chocolate on the palate. Tannins (or effervesence?) on the medium finish. Either well passed its prime or never was. Generally avoid the large Napa producers for this reason. Much is lost in the large vats...
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5/29/2023 - kistdg wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the last bottle. This did not decline. 30 min ox.
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11/5/2022 - AAJR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fruit forward, soft mouthfeel with dark fruit flavors. Prime drinking window. 1 left in cellar, revisit in 2025.
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7/16/2022 - Rcolella Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brought to the Caymans July 17, 2022.
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6/12/2022 - Brad T wrote: 90 Points
Many will like this for its Grape Kool-Aid formulaic punch, but for those looking for something a little more viniferously subtle that tastes more like Cabernet Sauvignon and less punchy, you may be as disappointed as I. To be fair, at 12 years, this juice was drinking nicely in its style, the "Big Oak" has mellowed out, the fruit is still present, the sweetness is just a tad less than cloying, and there are no signs of being over the hill. Likely it's at its peak. I do love big, bold, fruit-dominant Cabs, but when they are so over-the-top that they take on candied flavors, they lose me.
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