Tight and tannic on the pop n pour but opened up nicely after about an hour. Definitely on the back end of its life but worked well with our steak dinner.
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Dark red with slight bricking around the rim. A savory nose shows herbs, leather, dark red fruits and hint of licorice. The palate shows a savory edge to the herbal dark red berries, decent acidity and a leather tinged finish.
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In a lovely window now. Incredibly expressive, floral nose of cherry blossoms, spring violets, lavender, chocolate, and grape hard candy. The palate is medium-full, square, dry, but tangy, bringing a dual surge of sweet blueberry/blackberry with tart cherry/raspberry into a gritty, savory mix of pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, coffee bean, dried leather, and forest floor, that flows into a refined finish. Best with food. Drink 2021-2025. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 93.
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In full disclosure, this is one of my favorite Cabernet producers in Napa. I haven’t checked on this in over six years. At thirteen years, this is just beginning to enter into the mature phase; tertiary characteristics are starting to predominate. Shows a clear, deep ruby color without noticeable signs of bricking. Pronounced aromatic and flavor profile leads with bell pepper and drying celery, followed by cocoa powder, dried red currant, overly ripe, drying blackberry, stewed cherry, dried tobacco, burned charcoal, and crusty, black earth. As like most of Nils Venge’s wines, the mouthfeel is somewhat austere and dry. Structure is still very much in play, with chewy tannin and an acidic backbone showing on the long, very dry finish. This requires “big” food, such as a grilled steak or roasted beef, lamb or pork. Tonight this was pulled from a 55 degree cellar, decanted, and enjoyed with a grilled ribeye, and sautéed spinach and mushrooms. Outstanding wine, should cellar for another 5-7 years, assuming the fruit doesn’t fade...structure is solid. Maintain my earlier 94 point scores.
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Dark red in color. Classic but muted aromas of dark red berries, dark olive paste, cocoa, loam and herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied and restrained palate shows sweet and savory dark small red fruits with olive, green herbs, licorice, medium acidity, no tannins and a medium long finish with a hint of oak.
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Brought to dinner party with friends. The magnum was gone in under 30-min. Everyone loved it, though I was a little disappointed compared to our last tasting of this out of the 750ml last year. Still, quality wine. I'd recommend holding onto the magnums until 2022+. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 91.
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Still a fabulous classic Napa Cab. Dark rich fruit and cedar on the nose and palate with a good tannic backbone. Softening a bit as it hits it's mature years but still outstanding to the last drop.
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Opened and drank immediately out to dinner with family at West City Kitchen. Took about an hour to open up (recommend decanting). Dark, brooding crimson color. Powerful nose brings black cherries, sweet cassis, blackcurrant, spring violets, cherry tobacco, wild herbs, and spearmint. The palate is medium, round, rich, and concentrated, bringing blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate caramel, coffee grounds, dried leather, chocolate cherries, mushrooms, and garlic into the finish, which lasts 45+ seconds bringing refined tannins, good acicity, and a silky/velvety feel. This is an outstanding vintage from Niles. I'll save my next bottle for 5+ years and my magnum for even longer. Bravo. Technical score: 94. Enjoyment score: 95.
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Put through the breather then sampled, let sit for another hour and it was fantastic. By the third hour, it was in the top 10 wines that I have tasted.
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There's nothing like a Nils Venge Oakville Cab: aromatic, spicy red currant, mixed dried berries and cherries, dusty tannins, and a sprinkling of dried herbs. Made in the traditional, classic Napa style of bygone years without the jammy, sweet over the top confected concoctions seen in many of fruit-bombs of today. Always consistent and a personal favorite.
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This needs another 10 yrs in the cellar. Big nose. I loved that part of it. Rich black fruit. Some cocoa and anise as well. Maybe a touch of bell pepper. Medium to medium heavy body. Nice big tannins with some backbone and structure. After the fruit rushes forward you are rewarded with a long finish.
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Not impressed. This was a medium priced wine that drank like one for half the price. It only sat a week, so maybe it was in bottle shock. I sure hope so since I have 5 left.
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This was great. Big Napa cab was just what the doctor ordered. Big fruit forward wine with enough complexity to pull it off. Black cherry, currants, and blackberry with a bit of earthiness and minerality to balance it all. The nose was phenomenal and continued to open up after a few hrs. When this hits the palate it just melts and rolls over your palate. Smooth, velvety, and rounded out yet still a bit harsh but simply due to it's youth. I think in another 5-7 yrs the tannins will settle down because they are still dense and chewy but will soften with age. This will only get better with age.
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with a little patience, crushed dark mixed berries on the nose, black cherry, blackberries...the same more subdued on the palate, nice balance/integration, strong but smooth tannins, ok medium finish.....the nose off your empty glass beckons for more....will hold and continue to enjoy 10-15yr
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This was a big cab that reminds me of the style cab I had when I first got into wine. Not for everyone, but both my wife and I liked this wine very much.
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Nose is very demonstrative with aromas of black currant, dark berries, perfumed flowers, and some cedar. As expected, the tannins are dusty and dry; the flavors tend toward dried mixed berries, flowers, cherries, and plums. A rustic style that favors Bordeaux more than Napa. Very long dry finish. Always consistent in style. This should develop nicely.
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9/16/2023 - Winokdub wrote: 91 Points
Tight and tannic on the pop n pour but opened up nicely after about an hour. Definitely on the back end of its life but worked well with our steak dinner.
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12/8/2022 - devraj Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark red with slight bricking around the rim. A savory nose shows herbs, leather, dark red fruits and hint of licorice. The palate shows a savory edge to the herbal dark red berries, decent acidity and a leather tinged finish.
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3/23/2021 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a lovely window now. Incredibly expressive, floral nose of cherry blossoms, spring violets, lavender, chocolate, and grape hard candy. The palate is medium-full, square, dry, but tangy, bringing a dual surge of sweet blueberry/blackberry with tart cherry/raspberry into a gritty, savory mix of pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, coffee bean, dried leather, and forest floor, that flows into a refined finish. Best with food. Drink 2021-2025. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 93.
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11/21/2020 - wmccone54 wrote:
In full disclosure, this is one of my favorite Cabernet producers in Napa. I haven’t checked on this in over six years. At thirteen years, this is just beginning to enter into the mature phase; tertiary characteristics are starting to predominate. Shows a clear, deep ruby color without noticeable signs of bricking. Pronounced aromatic and flavor profile leads with bell pepper and drying celery, followed by cocoa powder, dried red currant, overly ripe, drying blackberry, stewed cherry, dried tobacco, burned charcoal, and crusty, black earth. As like most of Nils Venge’s wines, the mouthfeel is somewhat austere and dry. Structure is still very much in play, with chewy tannin and an acidic backbone showing on the long, very dry finish. This requires “big” food, such as a grilled steak or roasted beef, lamb or pork. Tonight this was pulled from a 55 degree cellar, decanted, and enjoyed with a grilled ribeye, and sautéed spinach and mushrooms. Outstanding wine, should cellar for another 5-7 years, assuming the fruit doesn’t fade...structure is solid. Maintain my earlier 94 point scores.
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11/14/2020 - devraj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark red in color. Classic but muted aromas of dark red berries, dark olive paste, cocoa, loam and herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied and restrained palate shows sweet and savory dark small red fruits with olive, green herbs, licorice, medium acidity, no tannins and a medium long finish with a hint of oak.
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4/18/2020 - Lion King Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth, big and bold. Nice fruit and tannin balance. Drinking well.
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3/28/2020 - Y.L. Wino wrote:
Drinking amazing right now!
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11/23/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brought to dinner party with friends. The magnum was gone in under 30-min. Everyone loved it, though I was a little disappointed compared to our last tasting of this out of the 750ml last year. Still, quality wine. I'd recommend holding onto the magnums until 2022+. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 91.
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4/30/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, bold, nice mixed berry fruit, spice, earthy and medium finish. Drinking well now, but still has a couple of years left.
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2/10/2018 - jsjones wrote: 93 Points
Garnet to brown in color, notes of black fruit. very well balanced. I was quite happy
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2/9/2018 - Smudge4! Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful right now. One hour decant. Deep garnet, plum and sour cherry, nice eucalyptus and fine tannins. My last one but this has many years left
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6/1/2017 - BigRed777 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a fabulous classic Napa Cab. Dark rich fruit and cedar on the nose and palate with a good tannic backbone. Softening a bit as it hits it's mature years but still outstanding to the last drop.
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3/19/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened and drank immediately out to dinner with family at West City Kitchen. Took about an hour to open up (recommend decanting). Dark, brooding crimson color. Powerful nose brings black cherries, sweet cassis, blackcurrant, spring violets, cherry tobacco, wild herbs, and spearmint. The palate is medium, round, rich, and concentrated, bringing blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate caramel, coffee grounds, dried leather, chocolate cherries, mushrooms, and garlic into the finish, which lasts 45+ seconds bringing refined tannins, good acicity, and a silky/velvety feel. This is an outstanding vintage from Niles. I'll save my next bottle for 5+ years and my magnum for even longer. Bravo. Technical score: 94. Enjoyment score: 95.
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12/11/2016 - sdonahue Likes this wine: 94 Points
spectacular after an hour decant
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6/10/2015 - Grouper wrote: 94 Points
Put through the breather then sampled, let sit for another hour and it was fantastic. By the third hour, it was in the top 10 wines that I have tasted.
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6/8/2015 - pmk wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied with ample mix of spicy fruit and toast, chocolate, dark berry, hints of tobacco. Ready now
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9/1/2014 - Lion King Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth and tasty straight out of the bottle.
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8/16/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 94 Points
There's nothing like a Nils Venge Oakville Cab: aromatic, spicy red currant, mixed dried berries and cherries, dusty tannins, and a sprinkling of dried herbs. Made in the traditional, classic Napa style of bygone years without the jammy, sweet over the top confected concoctions seen in many of fruit-bombs of today. Always consistent and a personal favorite.
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8/7/2014 - pmk wrote: 90 Points
consistent with prior note.
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7/6/2014 - pmk wrote: 91 Points
Full bodied with ample mix of spicy fruit and toast, chocolate, dark berry, hints of tobacco. Ready now
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2/13/2014 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 90 Points
This needs another 10 yrs in the cellar. Big nose. I loved that part of it. Rich black fruit. Some cocoa and anise as well. Maybe a touch of bell pepper. Medium to medium heavy body. Nice big tannins with some backbone and structure. After the fruit rushes forward you are rewarded with a long finish.
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7/1/2013 - awineo wrote: 88 Points
This one is a disappointment for the price.
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5/14/2013 - awineo wrote: 87 Points
Tried again. Still just not up to the price... not close.
Not bad, just not a good value for a drinker.
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4/25/2013 - awineo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decent but overpriced.
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4/7/2013 - awineo wrote: 87 Points
Not impressed. This was a medium priced wine that drank like one for half the price. It only sat a week, so maybe it was in bottle shock. I sure hope so since I have 5 left.
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3/31/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was great. Big Napa cab was just what the doctor ordered. Big fruit forward wine with enough complexity to pull it off. Black cherry, currants, and blackberry with a bit of earthiness and minerality to balance it all. The nose was phenomenal and continued to open up after a few hrs. When this hits the palate it just melts and rolls over your palate. Smooth, velvety, and rounded out yet still a bit harsh but simply due to it's youth. I think in another 5-7 yrs the tannins will settle down because they are still dense and chewy but will soften with age. This will only get better with age.
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1/21/2013 - drummer Likes this wine: 92 Points
with a little patience, crushed dark mixed berries on the nose, black cherry, blackberries...the same more subdued on the palate, nice balance/integration, strong but smooth tannins, ok medium finish.....the nose off your empty glass beckons for more....will hold and continue to enjoy 10-15yr
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1/15/2013 - ebrumby wrote: 92 Points
This was a big cab that reminds me of the style cab I had when I first got into wine. Not for everyone, but both my wife and I liked this wine very much.
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12/8/2012 - wmccone54 wrote: 94 Points
Nose is very demonstrative with aromas of black currant, dark berries, perfumed flowers, and some cedar. As expected, the tannins are dusty and dry; the flavors tend toward dried mixed berries, flowers, cherries, and plums. A rustic style that favors Bordeaux more than Napa. Very long dry finish. Always consistent in style. This should develop nicely.
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7/2/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable, could fool me for a Rght bank bordeaux... a little sourness, which diseappers after a bit. But really good stuff.
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2/12/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 89 Points
Sampled 1/29/12. A perfectly fine and harmless wine with a short finish as its only real negative.
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1/4/2010 - Colia wrote: 86 Points
The edge was gold but the middle was rose. Wild but true. Raspberry on the nose. Short and dry on the finish.
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