It was sheer perfection, having had 20 years to fully come together. There were beautiful flavors at all levels from the first to the last sip. We just wish we had more.
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Cork broke, but bottom stayed intact and removed with ah-so...poured a glass and came back 15 minutes later...dark red...rich nose of red fruit (cherries, plum)...no way this is 20 years old...smooth finish that lasted a good 20 seconds...third and final bottle from a purchase in 2004...best of the lot.
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Cork broke so had to decant, but was open right from the beginning. Beautiful color, no bricking, still drinking surprisingly well for being close to 20 years old. Black currant, vanilla, some pepper (early), rich and beautiful. Very, very good. Can't imagine it getting better.
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Still big and powerful, with juicy black currant on the nose along with eucalyptus, mint, jasmine, pepper steak, tobacco and a hint of vanilla. Palate has lots of the currant flavor along with a heavy dose of mushroom, some smoke and vanilla. Alcohol is just slightly out of balance.
Decanted and needed to pour though cheese cloth because the cork broke, although it was just dry (not soaked through). Hit its peak after maybe 90-120 minutes.
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This '01 is a little darker in flavor than the '05 One Point Five (same wine with a name change in '04) with a slight smokiness to it, but otherwise similar in profile on the palate and nose. The reason I mention that vintage of One Point Five is that it's rare for an '05 to outshine an '01, but such is the case here.
There was about a teaspoon of sediment between what was left in the bottle and in the decanter. The smoke, like from burning oak leaves, got less noticeable with time. A little cocoa powder peeked out as the smoke diminished. The wine just doesn't have the "wow" factor anymore. The Dust has settled (hahaha! A purposely bad pun.) so it's lost a little of it's charm. Still, a great bottle that can go several more years..... just not blowing my skirt up as high as slightly younger Shafer Cabs. YMMV, particularly if you like Cabs after the Rutherford Dust has fallen out of suspension. I certainly like resolved tannins, but the Dust adds some character that I miss with this bottle.
This is my last bottle, and it's message to me is that I should drink up the 3 remaining 2005's I have this year.
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Exceeded expectations by a mile. Mature cab with fruit that is in no way over the top, flabby, or sweet. Not super complex, but still a treat with Flannery hangers. I wish I had more. Bought on release from a wine shop and cellared since.
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Immediate taste of pepper follwed by plum and dark cherries. Great acidity and most of the tannins have been dissolved. Great for consumption now, maybe 1-2 years left in its prime age.
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Bottle in perfect shape. Dark, compact, dense, ink. Start to get some age. Dark fruit, cassis, dark cherries, spices, oak, tobacco. Slightly of japanese soy and tar. With time this wine offers curry powder, bacon, smoke and pine. Hint of violets and peony. Great mouthfill. Lovely meaty texture, medium to full body, good acidity and the tannins are distinct but are getting softer in style. Long taste. Good balance. I served this wine blind to my friends and two ended up in Bordeaux and one said Hermitage. With 24 h + in decanter this wine is truly lovely! But by then it is more northern Rhône than Napa Cab or Bordeaux ... but that suites me fine. When popped and poured 90 - 91 points. With time in decanter 94 points. I saved a glass for 48 h and it was even better. This wine have many years left! At least 10 - 15 years.
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Dark magenta in color. Sweet cassis, black licorice and a little coffee on the nose. Raspberries, blueberries and pomegranate on the palate with baking spices on the mid-palate and root beer root a touch of orange bitters on the finish. More fruit forward than layered but delicious all the same.
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Dark cherry color. A mixed-berry tart, strawberry-licorice necco wafer, leather and a little eucalyptus on the nose. Very clean on the palate - red raspberries, a little plum, and some orange bitters on the finish. Ripe, but not overly done. Well balanced. A very pleasant drinking wine.
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Very impressive. Big nose that could be smelled across the table. Beautiful lush flavors, with supple backbone but completely integrated. Dark cherry and plum. A touch of acid and a great long finish.
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very nice cabernet with a full body, good bouquet and wonderful finish, flavors of ripe berries. Drank a Kathryn Kennedy same night and they complemented each other well with the Shafer having a fuller body but the Kennedy having a longer taste.
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Really drinking well. This was my last of 6 bottles. It still had more youth than I expected. Red fruits, bit of spice, mellow tannins. Considerable sediment
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purple garnet. Nose was that sweet Shafer nose that is so prominent to me in the Hillside. Berries galore. Taste was middle aged, mellow, rich, mouthfilling. I went to a tasting years ago and a subtext was Shafer HSS versus the regular Shafer. My impression was that in great years there isn't a huge difference. This continues to confirm this.
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I think this wine is peaking, certainly is of the 5 bottles I have had. Good fruit and acid with tannins that are giving way. Max pleasure now with nice mocha and blackberry notes.
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Cellared since release. Tried another bottle after our March tasting and another great example of Stag's Leap Shafer Cab. As before blackberries, but here a hint of leather and some milk chocolate. This seemed to have a tinge more acid, but otherwise such fun to drink with dinner. Good medium length finish that gradually faded, but still had soft tannins that reminded you it was there.
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Medium red. Good California dark red fruit on the nose, then coffee & oak. It certainly needs a few hours of open time to show it's stuff. Nice balance in the mouth, some acid, and tannins that are there, but smooth. Great pleasant finish. I am inclined to drink now as this is better than earlier bottles.
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Right out of the pop n pour this was a little unbalanced. The oak was a bit strong. After 30 minutes in the glass is really opened up. Fulll bodied and meaty with great fruit clarity. Ranier cherry, cocoa, and a hint of tobacco. Creamy on the mid-palate. Tender tannins with just enough acidity to hold it all together. Can't see it getting much better but am not of the mind that it is going to tail off quickly. A lovely wine to go with the lovely holiday season dinner at Jax with Amy and young master Alex.
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This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Mike Christensen. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows explosive aromas of ripe black currants, vanilla and clove. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins, well-integrated alcohol and black fruit flavors. The full middle leads to a medium-length, smooth finish. This is a very nice, fruit-forward Cabernet that is drinking extremely well at this point. It screams for a steak or burger! Drink now-12/16.
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1 hour decant. A dark crimson/carmine color. The nose is black cherries and red currant with a hint of cassis. Palate has the same fruits pushed forward with a medium weighted body. Not as balanced as I remember and maybe even a bit clumsy, sort of falling over itself. All the right components are there though. Acidity rides a wee-bit high today and a hint of what I call ‘weediness’ pops in toward the finish. In looking to my last note I can only ask “What was he smoking?”. I can’t be that generous tonight.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about an hour.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of berries, lavender, currants and plums. Flavors of berries, currants and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now.
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Popped and poured into large Bordeaux stems. Deep purple color with no bricking at the rim. Nose of dark cherries, plumbs, blackberries. Medium body with black/blue fruit on the palate and mostly integrated tannins. A bit of pencil lead and cocoa powder. Medium length on the finish (30 seconds). A reasonably good bottle of wine but not exceptional. Drink over the next year or two.
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Nice Napa cab, but not one of my better 01's. A bit of red fruit in with the darker berry fruit. It's strange that this Shafer bottling is so restrained compared to the HSS. Drank at HHI on Julie's B-Day trip.
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Chocolate covered cherries that went great with July 4th burgers on the deck. Alas, my last bottle, and I haven't been impressed with the replacement wine.
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Nose: A nice nose of cassis, black berry and cherry, minimal oak influence, though spicy
Palate: A bit hot, mostly why the score is barely 90. Good fruit and spicy cedar meld with supple tannins and decent acidity at its peak. This was a bit of a let down after 4 hours as it started to decline as the tannins tasted a little rougher.
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Nice wine drinking well now. Good structure, not over done. Black fruit, tobacco, plums, and cherry. Medium bodied. Good acidity, minerals and intensity along with a solid finish.
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Dusted by the 2000 La Fleur du Bouard head-to-head last night, the last glass finished today was a very good wine. No detailed notes, but smoothe, pleasing wine with moderate complexity. Great steak wine.
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Beautiful purple color, but certainly not over-extracted or prune/raisin-like in the mouth. Tannins have softened nicely. A phenomenal "chef's wine" in that it will not overshadow the meal, but clearly has plenty of merit in its own right, and makes for a very pleasurable dining experience.
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IMO, just starting its optimal "mature" drinking window. Dark with red rim, medium intensity nose of black plums, some cassis, and a mix of red/black fruits. Picked up weight since the last bottle, and tannins are subsiding, with lovely balance and a light crispness at the end that refreshes. Good finish.
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Pretty consistent with the previous bottle. Opened and decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, fairly clear hue throughout. Nose fo berries, cherries, plums and light notes of currants that pretty much carry through to the palate. Medium acidity and tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink over the short to medium term.
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Excellent, but not the typical Napa Cab; black currant, cherry like many Napa Cabs, but I agree with others here that this is not a fruit bomb; some spice, subtle oak, and perhaps cream soda (that others have called vanilla). Plenty of life left. Entire dinner party enjoyed it.
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Nice cabernet with a nose of soft blueberries and vanilla but very subtle. The wine on the palate was delicate and tasted similar to the nose with hints of soft blueberries and vanilla. This wine was not oaky nor did it have a lot of earthiness. I ecpected more but it is good.
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Consistent with note of almost 2 years ago. Holding nicely with aromas of dark cherries/cassis, vanilla, licorice, and tobacco/tar. Decent but 'mild' fruit weight/flavor, light tannins and adequate acidity. Palate is bit of a let down after such a pretty nose. Drinking just fine as a mid-week wine that did well with food.
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This was tasted over two nights. Night number one, popped and poured and drank a little more than half the bottle....Traci and I both noted it seemed strange. Blind, she guessed Aussie Shiraz with 5-6 years of age b/c of a perceived note of mesquite in the wine. I noted it reminded me a little of bourbon. Well, we each had a glass to finish of the bottle 24 hours later and what a difference a day makes. Much more cab like with creme de cassis, cedar, tobacco. The mesquite or bourbon quality has disappeared. Enough balance of richness, complexity, and balance to push it into the "Outstanding" category. I have 2 or 3 more of these and will hold them for another 3-4 years...
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Double decanted 3.5 hours. Nice dark color with no sign of fading. The nose had subdued currants and blackberry with some floral notes. Nice. On the palate the wine walked the walk: great dark cassis with some secondaries of tar, soy, cedar-box (like a new humidor) and leather. The tannins were loosely weaved with a deft acid level. Tame nuances of light oak lingered like a feather. There was a perfect plush mouth feel that oozed class. The finish was long and clean. After reading recent noted on this I did not have high hopes, and I attribute tonight’s showing to the decant which was perfect.Pure harmony in a bottle. Elegant, exact and delish.
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I was rather disappointed, as I have never had a Shafer I didn't thoroughly enjoy. This bottle would have been an easy 91+ if it wasn't for the finish. Possibly a little cork taint. The color was spot on for napa cab, dark ruby almost to the rim. Classic cab bouquet of deep red fruit (think raspberry compote and cherry liqueur), chocolate, coffee, and hints of various spices, but all slightly askew. In the mouth the oak came to the front followed by the fruit and earth, with it all integrated rather well. Mid-palate belonged to the fruit and well-developed tannins. The finish was hot and sulphuric with big oak, and big tannin to boot. Ruined the wine for me, and I think a possible taint may have been present, I hope to be able to try this wine again in the future for reference. I had this wine at my father, stevo_the_wino's house.
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smooth round finish with a hint of blackberry on the end. a bit more of an earthy flavor than the other shafer cabs i tasted. proved to be extremely elegant. lisa served it with a wonderful roast, paired perfectly.
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Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant and black cherry. The palate carries those flavors forward while adding touches of clove and chocolate. The silky finish goes on for 30 seconds. Drank over two hours and continued to improve in the glass.
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I was very impressed with the wine. I felt it was at it's peak and extra cellar time probably won't help it evolve. All in all - a great wine with notes of chocolate & cherry.
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I was prepared to experience this as a spectacular wine; it was very good, but less than what I expected. Perhaps had not aged enough, tannins still a touch harsh. Take a top notch Australian Shiraz for this money for a real experience.
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Decanted for over 2 hours. Dark purple juice with a heady aroma on opening. We enjoyed it before and during dinner. Lots of fruit and glycerine, layers of flavors but still acidic enough to have waited years to open...but it was worth it!
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Dark ruby. Seemed a little hot and simple at first on the nose, but some nice cherry and chocolate notes emerged along with some berries. Sweet. Once the strip steaks were on the table, this really came alive; like a lot of CA cabs, this pairs great with steak, but not much else. I think the '97 regular cuve was better, but this is a highly enjoyable wine, especially with steak.
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Dark purple and a nose showing a little blueberry and ripe dark berries with a component of earthy coffee notes. Showing more fruit this time, and almost a little flabby with not as much structure or framework from the last bottle...but it did go well with charcoal grilled porterhouse steaks. Note: Some saved for the next day, and it pretty much closed up shop and was firm and unyielding...
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Tasted July 5, 2007 at home. Opened and decanted for sediment (maybe a small teaspoon at most) 20 minutes before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, dark plums and melted black licorice. Flavors of plums, red cherries, red berries, currants and a touch of bitters on the finish. Light to medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drink now with a minimum of an hour in the decanter or continue to hold.
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Dark purple color and after decanting a medium strength nose that resembled cassis, blackberry, and some spice and leather notes. This was a lot smoother than I expected, but with ample fruit and depth, framed by a light tannic structure giving a short, but nice finish.
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Kavana Wine Tasting - California Cabernet (Seattle, WA): Cassis and raspberry, a gorgeous nose! Textbook Napa Cabernet done right. Rachel mentioned "basil", and this does have some expected characters that are faintly vegetal. This is just lovely wine, drinking very well right now, this has really come around since I last tasted it in 7/2005.
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Not decanted. Dark violet red with some translucence. Nose of dark cherries, vanilla and tobacco. Palate is fruit-driven and is nice balanced with good structure. Lacks depth to improve much but should continue drinking nicely for years to come.
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This is a nice Cabernet but for me a bit overpriced and overrated. Alcohol is very prominent at this stage of the development and gives the wine a heady burning feeling. I had much better Cali Cabs from 2001 than this
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This is a wine I regret buying. Definately overpriced for what it is. Takes about an hour to open up and reveal a relatively light bodied cab with no personality that is going nowhere. Drink up.
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Upon opening, purple and opaque. Initially black fruit including cassis and anise. Oak tasted throughout. I could not detect the graphite that others have. Tannins are slowly starting to integrate nicely. Goot taste and feel on the mid-palate with a 20 second finish. The finish is a little flat at this time. This one needs to age a little more.
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We opened this right after the 1999, and this is both less mature and less impressive. There is textbook cassis, but the wine is deeply awash in spicy oak, probably more than this can handle. Notes of green dance amidst the oak, also showing a bit of alcohol, slightly disjointed. This is a nice Cabernet but not ultimately outstanding.
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Deep ruby color leading to a nose of currant and black plums. The palate continues with touches of dark cherry, more plum, currant, and a hint of tobacco box. The fiinish is classic Shafer smooth. This bodes very well for the HSS. Drink now - 2012.
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I don't think it was quite ready. Had nice fruit on the nose and was med. bodied, but still had acids on the finish. Still a nice bottle and age may do it well.
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[Shake Shack: cheeseburger, fries] deep purple color, dark fruit on the nose; meduim to full bodied; cherries, saddle leather, and spice box; what you expect from a Napa Cab
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($55) Napa-Noma Trip: Mostly Stag's Leap fruit, aged in 50% American and 50% French oak. Includes a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Sweet red currant nose. Cedar. Smells like a polished wine - also smells a little tannic.Softish on the attack with more red fruit, then the finish grows more structured. Nicely made. This seems like a reliable wine, though the price is creeping up there and for my money I think there might be more interesting wines available. I guess I must find it a little formulaic or monolithic.
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Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering. The nose shows cassis and coffee. The palate is chewy with nice structure and a lovely note of mineral amidst the fruit. Very pretty.
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4/8/2021 - Val D'Orcia wrote: 96 Points
It was sheer perfection, having had 20 years to fully come together. There were beautiful flavors at all levels from the first to the last sip. We just wish we had more.
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8/30/2020 - Red Loki Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still incredibly good.
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7/13/2020 - hanasowner wrote: 94 Points
Cork broke, but bottom stayed intact and removed with ah-so...poured a glass and came back 15 minutes later...dark red...rich nose of red fruit (cherries, plum)...no way this is 20 years old...smooth finish that lasted a good 20 seconds...third and final bottle from a purchase in 2004...best of the lot.
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5/15/2020 - fhmesq wrote: 93 Points
Cork broke so had to decant, but was open right from the beginning. Beautiful color, no bricking, still drinking surprisingly well for being close to 20 years old. Black currant, vanilla, some pepper (early), rich and beautiful. Very, very good. Can't imagine it getting better.
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4/29/2017 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured...still dark in color with no bricking...good fruit with a long finish...still some tannins...holding up very well.
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3/20/2017 - Cosmo M. Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still big and powerful, with juicy black currant on the nose along with eucalyptus, mint, jasmine, pepper steak, tobacco and a hint of vanilla. Palate has lots of the currant flavor along with a heavy dose of mushroom, some smoke and vanilla. Alcohol is just slightly out of balance.
Decanted and needed to pour though cheese cloth because the cork broke, although it was just dry (not soaked through). Hit its peak after maybe 90-120 minutes.
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3/10/2017 - CranBurgundy Likes this wine: 90 Points
This '01 is a little darker in flavor than the '05 One Point Five (same wine with a name change in '04) with a slight smokiness to it, but otherwise similar in profile on the palate and nose. The reason I mention that vintage of One Point Five is that it's rare for an '05 to outshine an '01, but such is the case here.
There was about a teaspoon of sediment between what was left in the bottle and in the decanter. The smoke, like from burning oak leaves, got less noticeable with time. A little cocoa powder peeked out as the smoke diminished. The wine just doesn't have the "wow" factor anymore. The Dust has settled (hahaha! A purposely bad pun.) so it's lost a little of it's charm. Still, a great bottle that can go several more years..... just not blowing my skirt up as high as slightly younger Shafer Cabs. YMMV, particularly if you like Cabs after the Rutherford Dust has fallen out of suspension. I certainly like resolved tannins, but the Dust adds some character that I miss with this bottle.
This is my last bottle, and it's message to me is that I should drink up the 3 remaining 2005's I have this year.
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11/13/2016 - jsebiri wrote:
Excellent again. Usually overshadowed by the HSS , this gem holds its own very nicely .
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12/31/2015 - Alibertucci wrote: 92 Points
Big cabernet with rich notes of cherry, oak and plum. Brilliant dark ruby in color, with a long finish. Exceptional wine.
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7/3/2015 - jwebtx wrote:
Exceeded expectations by a mile. Mature cab with fruit that is in no way over the top, flabby, or sweet. Not super complex, but still a treat with Flannery hangers. I wish I had more. Bought on release from a wine shop and cellared since.
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5/31/2015 - Tubulus wrote:
A bit from memory here, but this was not quite my style.
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4/8/2015 - jamesjm88 wrote: 93 Points
Immediate taste of pepper follwed by plum and dark cherries. Great acidity and most of the tannins have been dissolved. Great for consumption now, maybe 1-2 years left in its prime age.
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12/7/2014 - jsebiri wrote:
excellent , fruit , cabernet benchmark
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9/11/2014 - Tenuta Stefan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bottle in perfect shape.
Dark, compact, dense, ink. Start to get some age.
Dark fruit, cassis, dark cherries, spices, oak, tobacco. Slightly of japanese soy and tar. With time this wine offers curry powder, bacon, smoke and pine. Hint of violets and peony.
Great mouthfill. Lovely meaty texture, medium to full body, good acidity and the tannins are distinct but are getting softer in style.
Long taste. Good balance.
I served this wine blind to my friends and two ended up in Bordeaux and one said Hermitage. With 24 h + in decanter this wine is truly lovely! But by then it is more northern Rhône than Napa Cab or Bordeaux ... but that suites me fine.
When popped and poured 90 - 91 points.
With time in decanter 94 points.
I saved a glass for 48 h and it was even better.
This wine have many years left! At least 10 - 15 years.
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3/8/2014 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Black cherry, chocolate, smooth tannins, nice finish.
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10/28/2013 - unionst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark magenta in color. Sweet cassis, black licorice and a little coffee on the nose. Raspberries, blueberries and pomegranate on the palate with baking spices on the mid-palate and root beer root a touch of orange bitters on the finish. More fruit forward than layered but delicious all the same.
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9/17/2013 - unionst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark cherry color. A mixed-berry tart, strawberry-licorice necco wafer, leather and a little eucalyptus on the nose. Very clean on the palate - red raspberries, a little plum, and some orange bitters on the finish. Ripe, but not overly done. Well balanced. A very pleasant drinking wine.
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9/9/2013 - AlexHop wrote: 93 Points
Very impressive. Big nose that could be smelled across the table. Beautiful lush flavors, with supple backbone but completely integrated. Dark cherry and plum. A touch of acid and a great long finish.
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8/17/2013 - lewisrise wrote: 91 Points
Nose of burnt, spicy cedar and blackberry. Soft mouthfeel and balanced tannins. Dark fruits with a finish of chocolate and asian spice
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7/5/2013 - Good Stuff Likes this wine: 92 Points
very nice cabernet with a full body, good bouquet and wonderful finish, flavors of ripe berries. Drank a Kathryn Kennedy same night and they complemented each other well with the Shafer having a fuller body but the Kennedy having a longer taste.
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6/7/2013 - kdwoodrow@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Held up nicely; mellowed-out and well-blended tannin and fruit.
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11/23/2012 - moudy wrote: 93 Points
Really drinking well. This was my last of 6 bottles. It still had more youth than I expected. Red fruits, bit of spice, mellow tannins. Considerable sediment
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11/11/2012 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Took about an hour in the decanter to open up. Nice mature wine with cherries and currants with a bit of spice underneath.
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9/9/2012 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Very powerful wine. Firm structure with currants, berries and cherries hanging off it. Years left in this one.
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6/24/2012 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 93 Points
purple garnet. Nose was that sweet Shafer nose that is so prominent to me in the Hillside. Berries galore. Taste was middle aged, mellow, rich, mouthfilling. I went to a tasting years ago and a subtext was Shafer HSS versus the regular Shafer. My impression was that in great years there isn't a huge difference. This continues to confirm this.
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5/10/2012 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
I think this wine is peaking, certainly is of the 5 bottles I have had. Good fruit and acid with tannins that are giving way. Max pleasure now with nice mocha and blackberry notes.
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4/16/2012 - RR47 wrote: 91 Points
Cellared since release. Tried another bottle after our March tasting and another great example of Stag's Leap Shafer Cab. As before blackberries, but here a hint of leather and some milk chocolate. This seemed to have a tinge more acid, but otherwise such fun to drink with dinner. Good medium length finish that gradually faded, but still had soft tannins that reminded you it was there.
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3/22/2012 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Medium red. Good California dark red fruit on the nose, then coffee & oak. It certainly needs a few hours of open time to show it's stuff. Nice balance in the mouth, some acid, and tannins that are there, but smooth. Great pleasant finish. I am inclined to drink now as this is better than earlier bottles.
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3/21/2012 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Limited notes, but still drinking nicely. Needed time to open and then great mature red fruit, good balance. medium finish
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12/22/2011 - swittersMN wrote: 91 Points
Right out of the pop n pour this was a little unbalanced. The oak was a bit strong. After 30 minutes in the glass is really opened up. Fulll bodied and meaty with great fruit clarity. Ranier cherry, cocoa, and a hint of tobacco. Creamy on the mid-palate. Tender tannins with just enough acidity to hold it all together. Can't see it getting much better but am not of the mind that it is going to tail off quickly. A lovely wine to go with the lovely holiday season dinner at Jax with Amy and young master Alex.
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10/10/2011 - bsegel wrote: 95 Points
This wine is tasting great right now. If you have it in your cellar, drink it.
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7/31/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Drank with Chad and this was the best showing of this wine so far. Black cherry cedar and cassis, middle weight but showing well.
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6/24/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 91 Points
This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Mike Christensen. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows explosive aromas of ripe black currants, vanilla and clove. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins, well-integrated alcohol and black fruit flavors. The full middle leads to a medium-length, smooth finish. This is a very nice, fruit-forward Cabernet that is drinking extremely well at this point. It screams for a steak or burger! Drink now-12/16.
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5/4/2011 - mrlanegordon wrote: 90 Points
I used the venturi funnel to aerate and it was fabulous. I think it was at it's peak. Subtle hints of flavor.
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4/10/2011 - pickhardt wrote: 87 Points
Lightweight and a bit thin. OK, but disappointing.
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3/19/2011 - King Cab wrote: 88 Points
1 hour decant. A dark crimson/carmine color. The nose is black cherries and red currant with a hint of cassis. Palate has the same fruits pushed forward with a medium weighted body. Not as balanced as I remember and maybe even a bit clumsy, sort of falling over itself. All the right components are there though. Acidity rides a wee-bit high today and a hint of what I call ‘weediness’ pops in toward the finish. In looking to my last note I can only ask “What was he smoking?”. I can’t be that generous tonight.
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3/12/2011 - EyeDoc wrote: 91 Points
A better bottle than before - a bit more fruit. In a great spot now. I admit I was wrong on my assessment that age wouldn't help it.
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2/24/2011 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about an hour.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of berries, lavender, currants and plums. Flavors of berries, currants and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now.
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1/9/2011 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Great fruit. There was some menthol that nobody expected.
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12/25/2010 - spotfin wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, drinking at its peak.
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12/3/2010 - huntinpagan wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured into large Bordeaux stems. Deep purple color with no bricking at the rim. Nose of dark cherries, plumbs, blackberries. Medium body with black/blue fruit on the palate and mostly integrated tannins. A bit of pencil lead and cocoa powder. Medium length on the finish (30 seconds). A reasonably good bottle of wine but not exceptional. Drink over the next year or two.
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11/7/2010 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
25th Anniversary Vin Vino BYO Open House (Vin Vino Wine, Palo Alto, California): Opaque purple red violet color; ripe berry, blueberry, boysenberry nose; soft, ripe berry, blueberry, blackberry palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
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7/10/2010 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
Nice Napa cab, but not one of my better 01's. A bit of red fruit in with the darker berry fruit. It's strange that this Shafer bottling is so restrained compared to the HSS. Drank at HHI on Julie's B-Day trip.
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7/5/2010 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
Chocolate covered cherries that went great with July 4th burgers on the deck. Alas, my last bottle, and I haven't been impressed with the replacement wine.
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7/1/2010 - konadog wrote:
very well integrated at this time. red/black fruit still present and forward and smooth tannin structure. 91pts wouldn't hold this too much longer
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5/28/2010 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced cal cal with great black fruit vanilla and earthy tones trhroughout the palate. Loved it --- at its peak.
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4/25/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 89 Points
Color: Red edges and a relatively still dark core
Nose: A nice nose of cassis, black berry and cherry, minimal oak influence, though spicy
Palate: A bit hot, mostly why the score is barely 90. Good fruit and spicy cedar meld with supple tannins and decent acidity at its peak. This was a bit of a let down after 4 hours as it started to decline as the tannins tasted a little rougher.
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3/26/2010 - Anonymous Likes this wine: 91 Points
lots of black fruit, good structure, great mouthfeel and finish
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1/24/2010 - Anonymous wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine drinking well now. Good structure, not over done. Black fruit, tobacco, plums, and cherry. Medium bodied. Good acidity, minerals and intensity along with a solid finish.
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10/26/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 89 Points
blueberry nose, round mouth with good fruit. simple
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9/15/2009 - spotfin wrote: 93 Points
Full bodied, very dark, plums, cassis, chocolate, smooth tannins, excellent.
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8/23/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
Tasted blind, big wine, bigger than Napa Cabs I remembered. Wouldn't be my favorite.
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8/2/2009 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Dusted by the 2000 La Fleur du Bouard head-to-head last night, the last glass finished today was a very good wine. No detailed notes, but smoothe, pleasing wine with moderate complexity. Great steak wine.
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6/7/2009 - 2loyal wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful purple color, but certainly not over-extracted or prune/raisin-like in the mouth. Tannins have softened nicely. A phenomenal "chef's wine" in that it will not overshadow the meal, but clearly has plenty of merit in its own right, and makes for a very pleasurable dining experience.
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6/5/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 91 Points
IMO, just starting its optimal "mature" drinking window. Dark with red rim, medium intensity nose of black plums, some cassis, and a mix of red/black fruits. Picked up weight since the last bottle, and tannins are subsiding, with lovely balance and a light crispness at the end that refreshes. Good finish.
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5/14/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted May 14, 2009.
Pretty consistent with the previous bottle. Opened and decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, fairly clear hue throughout. Nose fo berries, cherries, plums and light notes of currants that pretty much carry through to the palate. Medium acidity and tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink over the short to medium term.
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5/10/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
drinking nicely. nose of blackberry, leather. full pump rich mouth with good balance nice finish.
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4/15/2009 - Asmo wrote: 92 Points
excellent balance - drinking great right now.
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2/15/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
Pizza and Cabs at Mike P's, aka Go Buy Yourself Some Buccella (Mike and Barb's, Staten Island, NY): This was just OK. But that's all it was. There was lots of acetone that never blew off. I don't think the bottle was off, necessarily, but I was unimpressed, by a lot.
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1/31/2009 - Bobo N wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, but not the typical Napa Cab; black currant, cherry like many Napa Cabs, but I agree with others here that this is not a fruit bomb; some spice, subtle oak, and perhaps cream soda (that others have called vanilla). Plenty of life left. Entire dinner party enjoyed it.
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12/25/2008 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
No detailed notes, but followed the 99 Insignia well
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11/28/2008 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
Dark - almost inky, medium body with a soft, mellow flavor profile. Not a fruit bomb, but very nice flavors of dark cherry and perhaps blueberry.
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11/19/2008 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 88 Points
Nice cabernet with a nose of soft blueberries and vanilla but very subtle. The wine on the palate was delicate and tasted similar to the nose with hints of soft blueberries and vanilla. This wine was not oaky nor did it have a lot of earthiness. I ecpected more but it is good.
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11/15/2008 - bmmcneill wrote: 90 Points
Good nose of black fruit, chocolate espresso, taste was smooth some tannins little acid nice overall a true Shafer cab
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10/24/2008 - thomaskeil wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with note of almost 2 years ago. Holding nicely with aromas of dark cherries/cassis, vanilla, licorice, and tobacco/tar. Decent but 'mild' fruit weight/flavor, light tannins and adequate acidity. Palate is bit of a let down after such a pretty nose. Drinking just fine as a mid-week wine that did well with food.
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10/23/2008 - tonyvelebil wrote: 91 Points
This was tasted over two nights. Night number one, popped and poured and drank a little more than half the bottle....Traci and I both noted it seemed strange. Blind, she guessed Aussie Shiraz with 5-6 years of age b/c of a perceived note of mesquite in the wine. I noted it reminded me a little of bourbon. Well, we each had a glass to finish of the bottle 24 hours later and what a difference a day makes. Much more cab like with creme de cassis, cedar, tobacco. The mesquite or bourbon quality has disappeared. Enough balance of richness, complexity, and balance to push it into the "Outstanding" category. I have 2 or 3 more of these and will hold them for another 3-4 years...
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10/9/2008 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted 3.5 hours. Nice dark color with no sign of fading. The nose had subdued currants and blackberry with some floral notes. Nice. On the palate the wine walked the walk: great dark cassis with some secondaries of tar, soy, cedar-box (like a new humidor) and leather. The tannins were loosely weaved with a deft acid level. Tame nuances of light oak lingered like a feather. There was a perfect plush mouth feel that oozed class. The finish was long and clean. After reading recent noted on this I did not have high hopes, and I attribute tonight’s showing to the decant which was perfect.Pure harmony in a bottle. Elegant, exact and delish.
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9/8/2008 - Pour Boy wrote: 89 Points
Not nearly as impressive as I'd hoped.
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6/1/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
vanilla cherry, herbs. more oak in the mouth with red fruits, a little acidity.
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5/31/2008 - cadamson wrote: 86 Points
Somewhat muted mid palate and short finish. Good up front fruit. Nothing special.
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4/26/2008 - ccarmichael wrote: 88 Points
I was rather disappointed, as I have never had a Shafer I didn't thoroughly enjoy. This bottle would have been an easy 91+ if it wasn't for the finish. Possibly a little cork taint. The color was spot on for napa cab, dark ruby almost to the rim. Classic cab bouquet of deep red fruit (think raspberry compote and cherry liqueur), chocolate, coffee, and hints of various spices, but all slightly askew. In the mouth the oak came to the front followed by the fruit and earth, with it all integrated rather well. Mid-palate belonged to the fruit and well-developed tannins. The finish was hot and sulphuric with big oak, and big tannin to boot. Ruined the wine for me, and I think a possible taint may have been present, I hope to be able to try this wine again in the future for reference. I had this wine at my father, stevo_the_wino's house.
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4/5/2008 - lewisrise wrote: 90 Points
Nose of earth, raspberry, and brambles. Dark fruit with hints of mushroom and chocolate. Medium to long finish.
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3/31/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Nice. Great color, not terribly complex, and not the fruit bomb I expected. Ready to go now, but will probably last a few more years.
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3/18/2008 - OTWineMan wrote: 94 Points
smooth round finish with a hint of blackberry on the end. a bit more of an earthy flavor than the other shafer cabs i tasted. proved to be extremely elegant. lisa served it with a wonderful roast, paired perfectly.
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3/12/2008 - RedLoverJim wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic. Excellent balance, smooth flavors, not a stereotypical Cali Cab.
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3/12/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant and black cherry. The palate carries those flavors forward while adding touches of clove and chocolate. The silky finish goes on for 30 seconds. Drank over two hours and continued to improve in the glass.
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3/10/2008 - moudy wrote: 93 Points
I was very impressed with the wine. I felt it was at it's peak and extra cellar time probably won't help it evolve. All in all - a great wine with notes of chocolate & cherry.
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2/14/2008 - wpiers wrote: 87 Points
I was prepared to experience this as a spectacular wine; it was very good, but less than what I expected. Perhaps had not aged enough, tannins still a touch harsh. Take a top notch Australian Shiraz for this money for a real experience.
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2/3/2008 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for over 2 hours. Dark purple juice with a heady aroma on opening. We enjoyed it before and during dinner. Lots of fruit and glycerine, layers of flavors but still acidic enough to have waited years to open...but it was worth it!
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11/22/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 92 Points
nice wine, black cherry, cassias nose, good fruit mouth, with a touch of chocolate. integrated and balanced. wotn
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9/22/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby. Seemed a little hot and simple at first on the nose, but some nice cherry and chocolate notes emerged along with some berries. Sweet. Once the strip steaks were on the table, this really came alive; like a lot of CA cabs, this pairs great with steak, but not much else. I think the '97 regular cuve was better, but this is a highly enjoyable wine, especially with steak.
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8/3/2007 - Tejano wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple and a nose showing a little blueberry and ripe dark berries with a component of earthy coffee notes. Showing more fruit this time, and almost a little flabby with not as much structure or framework from the last bottle...but it did go well with charcoal grilled porterhouse steaks. Note: Some saved for the next day, and it pretty much closed up shop and was firm and unyielding...
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7/5/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91,PURPLE90,NOWA,WS92
Tasted July 5, 2007 at home. Opened and decanted for sediment (maybe a small teaspoon at most) 20 minutes before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, dark plums and melted black licorice. Flavors of plums, red cherries, red berries, currants and a touch of bitters on the finish. Light to medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drink now with a minimum of an hour in the decanter or continue to hold.
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6/9/2007 - Hollowleg wrote: 88 Points
Not overly impressive considering the price, overrated.
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4/8/2007 - keithgg wrote: 92 Points
Showed beautifully with a grilled bone-in rib eye from Bryan's. Still one of my favorite Shafer regular vintages.
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3/30/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby. Nicely complex nose of chocolate covered cherries. Rich and smoothe, a highly enjoyable wine drinking great now. P. liked a lot.
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2/17/2007 - dbg wrote:
excellent
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2/14/2007 - Tejano wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple color and after decanting a medium strength nose that resembled cassis, blackberry, and some spice and leather notes. This was a lot smoother than I expected, but with ample fruit and depth, framed by a light tannic structure giving a short, but nice finish.
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1/30/2007 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
Kavana Wine Tasting - California Cabernet (Seattle, WA): Cassis and raspberry, a gorgeous nose! Textbook Napa Cabernet done right. Rachel mentioned "basil", and this does have some expected characters that are faintly vegetal. This is just lovely wine, drinking very well right now, this has really come around since I last tasted it in 7/2005.
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1/30/2007 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
Not decanted. Dark violet red with some translucence. Nose of dark cherries, vanilla and tobacco. Palate is fruit-driven and is nice balanced with good structure. Lacks depth to improve much but should continue drinking nicely for years to come.
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9/9/2006 - lewisrise wrote: 91 Points
Nose of spice and burnt cherry. Layered with raspberry, tobacco, and toasted oak. Moderately smooth tanins with a medium finish.
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8/15/2006 - keithgg wrote: 91 Points
One of the best vintages of the regular cuvee. Graphite minerality with leather tones and the expected sweet fruit.
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3/26/2006 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours.
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3/24/2006 - Chasse wrote: 93 Points
No fomal notes, but realy enjoyed this with a great burger!
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11/27/2005 - EyeDoc wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine. Drinking well and unlikely to improve with additional cellar time.
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10/21/2005 - Linn wrote: 89 Points
This is a nice Cabernet but for me a bit overpriced and overrated. Alcohol is very prominent at this stage of the development and gives the wine a heady burning feeling. I had much better Cali Cabs from 2001 than this
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10/10/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 93 Points
Much better than the 2002, great tannic structure, gobs of chocolate and leather as well as sweet bright blackcurrent fruit. Excellent
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10/8/2005 - g-man wrote: 87 Points
This is a wine I regret buying. Definately overpriced for what it is. Takes about an hour to open up and reveal a relatively light bodied cab with no personality that is going nowhere. Drink up.
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7/8/2005 - JPBone wrote: 91 Points
Upon opening, purple and opaque. Initially black fruit including cassis and anise. Oak tasted throughout. I could not detect the graphite that others have. Tannins are slowly starting to integrate nicely. Goot taste and feel on the mid-palate with a 20 second finish. The finish is a little flat at this time. This one needs to age a little more.
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7/8/2005 - Eric wrote: 89 Points
We opened this right after the 1999, and this is both less mature and less impressive. There is textbook cassis, but the wine is deeply awash in spicy oak, probably more than this can handle. Notes of green dance amidst the oak, also showing a bit of alcohol, slightly disjointed. This is a nice Cabernet but not ultimately outstanding.
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4/23/2005 - AlanC wrote: 92 Points
Closing down a little but still quite delicious. Lush and full bodied with rich cab flavors after a half hour airing. It needs this breathing time.
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4/4/2005 - flashvictor wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby color leading to a nose of currant and black plums. The palate continues with touches of dark cherry, more plum, currant, and a hint of tobacco box. The fiinish is classic Shafer smooth. This bodes very well for the HSS. Drink now - 2012.
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1/15/2005 - SeaBud wrote: 89 Points
I don't think it was quite ready. Had nice fruit on the nose and was med. bodied, but still had acids on the finish. Still a nice bottle and age may do it well.
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1/5/2005 - texaswino wrote: 91 Points
From 375. Dark rich nose of cassis, plum and graphite. Chewy and rich flavors. Very nice wine. Bodes well for the Hillside Select. Now to 2012.
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8/14/2004 - 97mjr wrote: 90 Points
[Shake Shack: cheeseburger, fries] deep purple color, dark fruit on the nose; meduim to full bodied; cherries, saddle leather, and spice box; what you expect from a Napa Cab
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6/4/2004 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($55) Napa-Noma Trip: Mostly Stag's Leap fruit, aged in 50% American and 50% French oak. Includes a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Sweet red currant nose. Cedar. Smells like a polished wine - also smells a little tannic.Softish on the attack with more red fruit, then the finish grows more structured. Nicely made. This seems like a reliable wine, though the price is creeping up there and for my money I think there might be more interesting wines available. I guess I must find it a little formulaic or monolithic.
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4/24/2004 - Eric wrote: 89 Points
Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering. The nose shows cassis and coffee. The palate is chewy with nice structure and a lovely note of mineral amidst the fruit. Very pretty.
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3/20/2004 - brianofthevine wrote: 93 Points
Black cherry and blackberry fruit with dark chocolate notes with some earthiness to it. Big full finish with smooth tannins.
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