This is a beautiful example of mature California Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated, full bodied and loaded with dark, juicy cassis, blackberry, tobacco, cedar and mushroom characteristics, there is freshness and length, ending with a blast of dark, spicy, red fruits.
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drank at Meadowood with dinner, popped at 4pm and dbl decanted, at that point the nose was reserved, the palate was void of fruit and slightly drying on the finish, but good acid still in there, i was worried… good news - four hours later when we poured with dinner it was singing, some nice fruit (more red than black fruit, but rich - not so much hi-toned - for red), and the secondary flavors were beautiful, the wine had rounded out (i.e. the dry finish was gone), my brother smelled mint and the nose got very big / nice, about 11pm the wine collapsed as the last glasses were being drained… love old cali cab, always will
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Opened and decanted New Years Eve together with a magnum of 78 Phelps Eisele and a 750 of 78 Caymus Special Selection. This wine is drinking well and similar in character to the Eisele, but more one-dimensional. Has perhaps 5-10 years left.
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A very fresh and alive bottle, which was very well received by the group of 7 tasters. Personally, while the nose was expansive and redolent of ripe black fruits, tar, band-aids, and leather, the flavors left me a bit disappointed. There was a predominant flavor of medicinal/band-aid/cosmetic/lipstick which was not to my liking. The other tasters did not share my lack of enthusiasm. Surprisingly, the wine was still tannic, to a small degree! We all agreed another 3-5 years would be reasonable to revisit this wine and assess it again...
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(Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard) Group's #2 (my #5) – 50 pts; 2 1st place votes, 7 2nd place votes, 1 third, 1 last place – Medium red violet color; high pitched, VA, leather and tart cassis nose; a little dried out, tart cassis, solid tannins; medium-plus finish 90+ pts.
11/17/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
This is a beautiful example of mature California Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated, full bodied and loaded with dark, juicy cassis, blackberry, tobacco, cedar and mushroom characteristics, there is freshness and length, ending with a blast of dark, spicy, red fruits.
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10/16/2017 - tinybubbles Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Ripe dark red fruit on the initial palate which turned to coffee grounds and heat with only a modest amount of air time.
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11/3/2013 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 93 Points
drank at Meadowood with dinner, popped at 4pm and dbl decanted, at that point the nose was reserved, the palate was void of fruit and slightly drying on the finish, but good acid still in there, i was worried… good news - four hours later when we poured with dinner it was singing, some nice fruit (more red than black fruit, but rich - not so much hi-toned - for red), and the secondary flavors were beautiful, the wine had rounded out (i.e. the dry finish was gone), my brother smelled mint and the nose got very big / nice, about 11pm the wine collapsed as the last glasses were being drained… love old cali cab, always will
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12/31/2009 - arappaport wrote: 94 Points
Opened and decanted New Years Eve together with a magnum of 78 Phelps Eisele and a 750 of 78 Caymus Special Selection. This wine is drinking well and similar in character to the Eisele, but more one-dimensional. Has perhaps 5-10 years left.
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5/6/2008 - Winebroker2007 wrote: 91 Points
A very fresh and alive bottle, which was very well received by the group of 7 tasters. Personally, while the nose was expansive and redolent of ripe black fruits, tar, band-aids, and leather, the flavors left me a bit disappointed. There was a predominant flavor of medicinal/band-aid/cosmetic/lipstick which was not to my liking. The other tasters did not share my lack of enthusiasm. Surprisingly, the wine was still tannic, to a small degree! We all agreed another 3-5 years would be reasonable to revisit this wine and assess it again...
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