Community Tasting Notes 62

• Labrador Does not like this wine: 70 points

  June 5, 2021 - This bottle was not up the standards of my previous experiences with Lewis. This one was dark, a bit unbalanced and a bit bitter. What fruit there was seemed stewed. All in all - disappointing. Perhaps my remaining bottles will fair better.

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• NY Wino Likes this wine: 94 points

  January 23, 2021 - Decanted a magnum for 3 hours prior to drinking. Deep purple color, big bouquet of ripe dark fruit and cedar. The wine really opened up after breathing for some time. Delicious fruit still there with soft tannins and smooth long finish. This magnum held up beautifully.

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• NY Wino wrote: 89 points

  December 23, 2020 - Decanted for an hoist. Decent fruit that seemed to be overwhelmed a bit by the oak. This wine has seen better days. Needs food to offset the oak.

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• DangerMouse81 wrote: 92 points

  January 1, 2020 - Chocolate cherries, espresso and tarmac. Lush, sweet fruit on the mid-palate. Tough tannins. It's good, but lacks character for me. Just seems like Napa Cab.

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• sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 92 points

  June 8, 2019 - Second of two bottles from a mixed Lewis tasting lot (the other was an '07 Alec's Blend, which was delicious, although I didn't review it); price for the two was about $120, which effectively works out to about $80 for this. I'll admit I was in a quandary about decanting this based both on past CT notes and experiences with older big CA cabs; some seem to fade after an hour or so in the decanter, as a prior reviewer mentioned about this wine, and some seem a bit overwhelming out of the bottle with huge fruit and heat, so I split the difference, taking a 1 oz pour and leaving the rest in the bottle for a bit over an hour before tasting more. Cork broke, but may have been more my fault than the cork's. Looking back, my tasting experience was remarkably similar to that from several months ago of the 2005 Merus cab. Super fragrant nose dominated by ripe dark fruit, similar on the palate backed by still vibrant tannins, although no discernible acidity, and graphite. Limited secondary notes in the first pour. Some heat on the palate, a bit surprised that this only 14.5%. Delicious but a bit simple, 91 for that. After the wine had sat for a bit, the complexity did pick up a bit, with subtle notes of cocoa, mint/menthol, and after another hour or so, some licorice and spice. Fruit is dominated by cherries, dark currants and cassis with some raisins/prunes which gives the wine at least some of a porty feel not atypical of older, big cabs, although I don't think that this wine is oxidized (that said, I'd drink sooner than later). Alcohol and tannins a bit better integrated, which leads me to put my thumb on the scale for a quick decant in the future. Moving my score up to 92. Pretty good complement with leftover burgers, grilled veggies and gnocchi, although the lack of or minimal acidity probably makes this wine at least as good without food. Will add to my review if it changes much tomorrow.
  
  So, I'm writing this 2 nights later after finishing up the wine, and it held up really well, even though we're in the midst of a heat wave and I don't have a wine fridge (this is the most moderate temperature place in the world). Really well integrated, and even a nice smokiness on the back end. Lots of sediment, so if you're concerned about these things, another reason to decant. As is often the case, CT's aggregate 92.9 seems just about right. I think that this wine should have several years of really good drinking left if decently stored, although my sense is that it's in the midst of its window and won't improve from here. Would be inclined to buy around this price if offered in the future.

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Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2004
• Type Red
• Producer Lewis Cellars
• Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
• Designation Reserve
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Napa Valley

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 6 (0%)
• In Cellars 801 (49%)
• Consumed 820 (50%)

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