2008 Gallo Family Vineyards / Gallo of Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon Frei Ranch Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 91.6 points

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  11/23/2015 - Delli Likes this wine: 94 Points

  I think the drinking window may be overstated, this wine is drinking beautifully right now and is likely very near peak. Purple with a transparent edge. An incredible fruit forward nose that prominently features dark chocolate, plumbs, raspberries, blueberries, cherries and understated vanilla notes. The acidity, round tannins and mouth feel have a beautiful balance. This wine was an exceptional value. 5+14+17+8=94

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  5/17/2012 - Delli Likes this wine: 92 Points

  This was a great value. Purple with translucent edges. Nose is jammy with dark sweet cherries, plumbs, vanilla and a touch of sage. The pallate is very ripe with jammy fruit over powering the tannins. The texture is velvety and sweet cherries / liquorice carry the day and the finish. Not sure if time will soften this winebut I appreciate the way that it is drinking now. 5+13+16+8=92

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  5/12/2012 - lumpyelbow wrote:

  Bought this based solely on the Parker 93 rating and am tremendously disappointed. At 15% alcohol and as much sugar as a sticky this needs to be classified as something other than red wine. There is quality in the bottle but even Erica who is a fan of sickly Californian and sweet overindulgence couldn't drink this. I had to chill it down a few degrees to deaden the alcohol vapour and glycemic assault. For me this puts California in with Australia where you can't rely on any stylistic consistency and buying blind is like Russian roulette. I love well done Cali wines, I do, they are amongst my favourites but this felt like a street magician rip off act. Opened an '07 Langoa Barton to help me cope - it's not great but done well for the vintage and drinking good enough to create some pleasurable distance from this cloying mess of sticky sickness.

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