Second to last bottle from a case purchased back in 2012. The last couple have seemed slightly over-the-hill, but this one was just perfect - maybe the best one yet. Now fully mature, showing lightening at the edge and some noticeable bricking. Powerful scents of baking spices and Napa earth fill the glass. Full-bodied and rich, but now smooth as silk. Still retains plenty of its gorgeous plum and dark currant fruit, but secondary flavors are now much more prominent. There's tremendous depth and intensity on the mid-palate and an incredibly long finish that features complex notes of spice, caramel and mineral. So elegant and refined. A splendid Mondavi Oakville that easily outperformed the 2007 Mondavi Reserve that we had several weeks ago to celebrate Kerry's birthday. 50+5+13+18+8=94
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This $30 wine is my nomination for being the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon at its price level in the Mondavi line up. I love watching it soundly beat other Oakville Cabs made by non-Mondavi wineries priced 2 to 3 times as much as this Mondavi. Two things make this wine superior - a high percentage of Caberbet Sauvignon of 88% and a high 90% of its grapes from the great Tok Alon Vineyard owned by Mondavi.
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Tasted from a bottle that was purchased upon release and pristinely cellared, this wine was decanted off of its heavy sediment and serially sampled over the ensuing three hours. A deep-to-opaque ruby blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot, more than 90% of the fruit was sourced from the To Kalon vineyard. Ripe, rich and with impressive depth, it is packed with black cherry and black currant fruit, accented with notes of allspice, licorice, espresso, cedar and lavender. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and nicely balanced, it weaves in a well-integrated component of spicy oak. Despite being listed as 15.5%, the alcohol is likewise well-woven, as are the plentiful fine-grained tannins. Solid in the middle and long on the back end, this is a delicious Cab that should show well throughout the decade. Drink now-2030.
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Decanted for 45 minutes before pouring. Deep crimson red color. The nose consists of ripe figs, blueberries, toast, black peppercorns, cherries and mint. Complex layers of cherries, black peppercorns, cassis, dried figs and licorice. Terrific wine that has aged very well.
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Agree with La Cave d'Argent's post. Wine is in a good place presently. Lovely aroma, smooth entry, beautiful fruit with spice and charcoal flavors. Medium complexity; integrated oak; non-existent tannis. Wish I have a couple more bottles.
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Second Sunday Group: 2013 Barolo (Neil's): An anniversary year bottle for Domino and I, the first of three, double decanted off its sediment about three hours before dinner. Black fruit, currant and spice. On the young side, I think, with flavors of dark fruit, cassis, licorice and plum. A bit of spice and herb as well. Good weight and balance, with a lingering finish. Very happy to have a couple more stashed in the cellar.
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So after sitting in my cellar for 10 years we opened this last evening. After a solid 1 hour decanting - I was surprised how mellow and soft it was. Either I was expecting more or time had come earlier for this wine. Full of berry, cedar, and, not much as far as Tannins or finish it had a nice nose, solid fruit but lacking the concentration or finish that I would have expected. A solid wine maybe it had just passed its peak!
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Purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot is still opaque crimson in color. More than 90% of the fruit for this wine was sourced from To Kalon, and it shows. Ripe, rich and with impressive depth, it is a Cab that wows from the get-go. Packed with black fruit, allspice, licorice, espresso, bark and lavender, it is a full-bodied, freshly acidic and beautifully balanced wine. There is a generous component of spicy oak, but it is nicely integrated. This is also the case for the alcohol (15.5%) and tannins. Solid in the middle and finishing long, this is simply a joy to drink. When last tasted in 2011, I grossly underestimated its longevity. Drink now-2028.
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Let this decant for 3 hours beforehand but it was stunning out of the bottle. Strong cocoa notes on the finish, smooth and silky. Paired it with grilled ribeye and lamb chops. Drink now.
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Mature now; integrated tannin with the lingering fruit. Still, enticing elements of blackcurrant, Asian spice, and earthy undertones. Time to drink/finish off.
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Not quite the improvement I was expecting with time. Fruit a little faint retained its structure, comes across a bit one dimensional, tannins remain firm -showing signs that this is on its way down. Enjoyable with food not memorable. Drink now.
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Unfortunately its almost past peak. The fruit has begun to fade from what I remember 2 years ago. Cant see it going much longer. No score. Rather remember it for what it was than what it is.
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This wine has turned out to be one of the most satisfying QPR purchases so far on my relatively short wine experience. I bought half a case when I first started getting into wine for $35/bottle. It was a large purchase for me at the time when I usually bought single bottles. I've enjoyed experiencing it change over time: the tannin have integrated a bit, the initially bold dark fruits have softened and is in better balance with some interesting tertiary notes hinting out in the background. Nice mouth feel and good finish. This label is not something to bust out at a wine geek get together, but for a weekday cab with a hanger steak it really sings, especially with some age on it.
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Prior bottle was almost exactly a year ago and my notes this time were mostly consistent, again confirming this wine is at peak. Full bodied and despite the 15.5% ABV, not at all hot or unbalanced. Blackfruit, vanilla and leather on the nose. Opened a bit over two hours ahead of time and it showed the blackfruit and currant notes that have marked all my bottles, but perhaps just slightly softer this time, with less upfront brightness. Earth, chocolate, leather and spices on the background and into the finish. Tannins remain fine grained and mostly well integrated and the wine in general remains quite well balanced. While overall, this bottle was quite similar to my prior one, around the edges, you start to get the feeling that it might be starting to fade ever so slightly. I don't have any immediate concerns and I expect this wine should be able to drink quite well for another few years, but I don't see any room for additional improvement.
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I reiterate some of my previous note on this wine with the following.
Licorice, black cherry and cedar box dominate the flavors. Lingering mouthfeel is dry and unbalanced. I waited 24 hours and got me that the tannins definitely eased and the lingering dry feel dissipated. Worth finding and need stop have 4 hours decant minimum.
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This is the quintessential Napa Cab. Tar, leather, tobacco and big lushes fruit on the finish. No wonder this was W/S Top 20 pick in 2011. This wine will see it's tenth year and beyond with ease. Believe it or not we decided to drink this wine with sushi, and it worked! One of my favorites. I have one more magnum left in the cellar.... until then.
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Actually peaking. Give it a 20 minute decant or start with shallow pours. Dark luscious fruit. Tannins still present and not over powering. Let bing it. Amazing QPR.
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A solid example of a dark, brooding Napa Cab. In it's window with some dark fruit, rounded tannins, and earth and tobacco notes on the nose and palate. Perhaps not as fruit forward as it once was, but showing well at the 8+ year mark. 91 pts. PJP 2016.
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Quite different than our last bottle we had 2.5 years ago in June of 2014. Decanted 45 minutes and consumed over 2 hours. As many have noted, strong pipe tobacco on the nose and palette which has now replaced the once strong fruit it had in it's youth. Tobacco VERY prominent to me on the nose. This wine is just in a different point of it's life now. Tannins still subtly there but this wine has defiantly matured. We will try to hold our last bottle another year or so to try to make the 10 year mark to see the final changes that may occur.
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At least with this bottle, the fruit is starting to fade. The boisterous fruit and personality is, for me, what made this wine so enjoyable earlier in its life, so I'd say drink up over the next 1-2 years if you have any left. This was, however, better on day 2.
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Immidiate florals and fruit jump out of the glass. Mouthfeel was velvety soft with a bright berry dominant taste. Dark cherries lead to blueberry with a mocha background. For the first hour the wine seemed astringent which improved with some air time. I recommend decanting this wine and letting it sit before consuming.
After one hour of aeration it really did not change much. Long finish with noticibly spice and cedar box. Distinct licorice flavors persist.
This is a fairly big effort for a wine of this price point.
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Blackfruit, earth and leather on the nose. Full bodied and nearly identical notes to my prior bottle of 8 months ago (Nov 2015). Again opened two hours ahead of time and showed the bright yet smooth blackfruit and currant through the middle with earth, chocolate, leather and integrated spices on the finish. Very nice, fine grained tannins that provide plenty of backbone for the fruit but are fully integrated with the wine. This wine remains in a really nice drinking window. I'll echo Bam Man's final comment in his note from below: "Elegant, polished and seamless".
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Agree with most. Great fruit but not over the top. Great structure, went well on POP by itself and later on with BBQ. Great value, you can pay much more and get less.
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Brought with us to Vintage on Fifth, Crystal River ($15 corkage). Halfway through eight bottles purchased in 2011. This now seems fully mature. Much more elegant on the palate than before. Still displays ample black cherry and dark currant fruit - just not as much as previous bottles - while secondary notes of chocolate and spice have crept in from the background. Balanced, harmonious and not nearly as tannic and chewy as earlier bottles. Finishes very long - with just a touch of oak. Actually seemed to gain length and depth throughout the evening. Elegant, polished and seamless. 50+5+12+17+8=92
Well made with plenty of life left. Pretty well balanced. Lush but not sweet/juicy dark fruit. Finish and nose were not noteworthy but nothing wrong. Silky yet somewhat viscous. Some tobacco and earthy notes.
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PNP - no need to decant this. Aromas of dark berries and a hint of cocoa. Taste follows suit. Berry, black currant, cocoa and ending with tobacco. Little air time did not seem to do much for a wine that's singing a perfect tune at the moment. Paired with Spanish rub strip with an aged sherry vinegar sauce (courtesy Bobby Flay). Nice ending.
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Double decanted, two hours, moderate sediment. Garnet color. Blackberry and vanilla nose. Rich, dark fruit, quite dry on the palate, and not fully integrated with the acids and heavy tannins. Moderate length finish. May improve with more aging.
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Much nicer than I remember. Nice heavy flavor but no noticeable tannins. Soft, velvet on the tongue with short finish. Noticeably dry and easy to drink. Wish I had more at that price.
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Blackfruit and leather on the nose. Nearly full bodied with exceptional balance. This wine has improved nicely since my last bottle (Nov 2014). Still displays the blackfruit and currant notes, but after being open for two hours ahead of time, the wine seemed to have a bit better balance and the fruit seemed a little bit brighter than last year. I don't get the sense that this wine is fading, but rather that it's opening up and showing its full range of complexity, while retaining the structure and depth. The finish continued to show good length along with very nice earth, leather, minerals and mint. Given where the fruit and structure are today, I would say this wine is at peak and I don't see it's balance or integration being helped by further time. Should continue to show well for 2-3 years at this level.
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We decanted through a vinturi and let sit for 2 hours. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was blueberry and cherry, a little oak and a touch of tobacco, the long finish brought out a hint of thyme.
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This is past its prime. We let it breathe for hours, decanted it. Alas, it was on the light side and had lost much of its glory. It still complimented our meal nicely, but tasted like a lighter, nice Merlot. Damn.
Day 1 PnP: Polished and warm, big but elegant for any size. Put a cork on remaining half of bottle. Day 2: About the same, honestly. 24 hours of air did not really make a dent; may have lost a tad of fruit. Keep drinking window through 2020.
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pnv'd into decanter... loved the immediate vibrancy, deep slow legs with mouth coating body, lovely flavor, bouquet a bit muted vs. other components.. with strip steak.. DELICIOUS .. years left
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A really wonderful Oakville Cab, and even better considering the price. Full tannins have aged well and are starting to soften up, but still offer a strong backbone. Juicy fruit, but not overripened or cloying. Perfect with grilled ribeye steak. Drinking well now, an hour decanting helps but isn't a must-do. Should last for 4-5 more years.
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Dark brick red edge into a dark core. Nose not super expressive but I smell some red fruit and hint of florals. Initial taste was astringent. Decant and one hour aeration in cellar opens up the wine and softened the tannins a bit. I would say this wine is more in line with dark cherry and raspberry than blue berries and blackberries. There's some spice/licorice. There's some violet in there. There's a bit too much oak for my taste. There's good density but not a plush/velvety texture. I would call it medium mouthfeel. The acidity sticks out too much for me on its own, but I think it's the acidity that allows the wine to work better with food. Not bad for the $30 price of admission (esp one that can keep aging for 5-10 more years) but it's not something I'm going to reach for if I'm celebrating a special occasion.
This was a reminder of how fun it can be to enjoy well-made Napa Cabernet. Rich aromas and flavors of blackberry jam, currant and charcoal were supremely enjoyable. It's all about fruit, and the alcohol does peek through on the nose some of the time. However, it's well-structured and the tannins and ample fruit could still use a year or three to soften just a bit more.
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One hour decant. Nice blend of fruit and oak. Perhaps a touch more oak than we prefer but that's being picky. Tannins are fine and mellowing. Good balance. Drinking well now.
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Great balance of tannins and somewhat mature fruit. Big, big boy. Nice finish. Cassis and dark fruit on palate. Moderate complexity. Definitely a Cali cab.
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First day tight as nails not giving up much of that beautiful nose and fruit that this typically shows for me. Rebottled 1/2 bottle into a split and consumed 3 days later; Much better.. ahhh theres that beautiful nose. Decant these for the time being.
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Full bodied wine with strong blackfruit and mint on the nose. Needs about 90 minutes to fully open up. Beautiful mix of dense blackfruit and currant that's just starting to display its complexity. Very smooth through the middle and well integrated with the lengthy finish where it adds earth, minerals and mint. Very good tannins, but they fine grained and add structure and richness without being unpleasantly drying. Just a really exceptional bottle to drink between the fruit, the complexity, the depth and the balance. I believe this wine has a good amount of upside remaining and will look forward to following its development.
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First one of these since December, 2012. Consistent with my note from back then. Still a very youthful-looking dark opaque magenta in color. Classic Napa Cab nose of cassis, sous bois and crushed black cherries. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture. Comes across as a big wine, but not at all heavy or over-extracted. Positively bursting with luscious black cherry and blackberry fruit, with hints of spice, chocolate and mineral. Shows fabulous depth and intensity on the mid-palate along with fine length. Big and powerful - but wonderfully balanced, with a sense of elegance and finesse. A gorgeous Napa Cabernet that is drinking beautifully right now. 50+5+12+18+8=93
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Solid cab that outdoes itself - easily stands with bottles that are twice the price. I usually like these as they are normally heavily sourced (sometimes even moreso than the Reserve) from To Kalon, although one should always check since it changes from year to year.
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Had with Ribeye, pop & pour. A bit muted at opening, it really blossomed about an hour after opening. Classic Napa Cab characteristics, very nice wine.
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Decanted over 2-4 hours and had with rib eye steak. This wine is still awesome. Great fruit on the nose and tannins that say plenty of life left. Can't tell a difference from bottle 2 years ago. Has normal Napa flavors but also one unique smell or taste I can quite describe but man is it GOOD! I feel like I stole this at $40 price paid.
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Purple color, with no signs of age. Creamy entry. Rippling mid-riff of black fruit. Round, polished tannins. Middle weight. Balanced. Plus finish. Years to go. This exceeded expectations. Well done. I'm looking forward to the next bottle. Paired well with grilled steak kebabs. 93
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Third tasting with consistent notes. Pop and pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. No sediment. Perfumed aroma on initial pour. Nice fruit flavors, good balance. No real depth or intensity, but a nice cab at this price point. I'm disappointed to see the price go way up to around $64, not worth that IMO.
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Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Vertical Tasting (2006-2009). Tasted these 4 vintages with our wine tasting group. The group consensus was that 2007 and 2008 were the best of the 4 wines, with roughly half of the group preferring 07 and the other half 08. I thought the 08 was initially the deepest and richest, but after a couple of hours in the glass the 07 was showing some more complexity and might have eclipsed the 08 slightly. But the 07 and 08 were overall very similar, and both are still quite young. I will give my remaining bottles of the 07 and 08 a few years of time before drinking them. The 06 was similar overall in flavor profile to 07 and 08, but it lacked the depth of those two vintages and the finish was a bit bitter and awkward. The 09 had a very different flavor profile than the others, showing red fruits (whereas the 07 and 08 were more black fruits) and more spice and tartness. Toward the end, the 09 was coming into some degree of balance, but it lacked the richness of 07 and 08. Overall, all of the wines were good and very reasonable QPRs.
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Second tasting with consistent notes. Pop and pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. No sediment. Wonderful perfumed aroma on initial pour. Nice fruit flavors, good tannic balance. No real depth or intensity, but a nice cab at $36.
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Nose of toast and red fruit, but somewhat muted. Big wine. Red dense fruits, toast, and nice drying tannins lifted by nice acidity. Can't help but think it needs more time to fully come together and show more. Will give others more time.
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This bottle was much more expressive on both the nose and palate. Maybe some bottle varioation or it's starting to come out of it's dumb phase. This was velvety smooth, well balanced, creamy and delicious.
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This is the one to get. Dark chocolate and spice-nice integration of oak. Moderate finish. Best Oakville Mondavi has produced, and more bottle age will improve it further. 92+
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I must say, I still don't think this is a 94 point wine (Maybe Parker tasted a few too many wines that day). No doubt, my style and preferences are different from his. This is a good wine, but not that special to me.
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This bottle was somewhat muted in aromas and flavor profile. It seemed shut down, and this was after 45 min. decant. Maybe a dumb phase? Still delicious and smooth, but previous bottles i had a year ago had muchmore going on. I'll hold off tasting another bottle for another 6 months and see what happens then.
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Great wine, lots of body, big fruit (black cherry and currant), big oak though too. Needed a lot of air to mellow out the oak attack. I'd give this one more time.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish. Enough tannin to hold up for a few more years.
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Delightful Cabernet. 45 minute decant. Nice nose of berries, vanilla and menthol with some heat. Nice fruit on the palate with an above average finish. Nice mouthfeel, typical Mondavi Oakville. Perhaps not the best QPR but always nice to drink a Mondavi. Solid and reliable. Enjoy the 2008 now but will be even better in 2-5 years.
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nothing special, my experience has not been up to other posters, it's good, but I struggle to give it a higher score, way below recent cabs like Caymus, John Anthony and Pina.
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Splash decant ... Big up front fruit, vanilla, chocolate and hints of nutmeg. Quite smooth, but not as complex as expected, based on other notes. Overall nice and very easy to drink. Didn't really improve as the night wore on (didn't fall apart either), so I'm guessing it's peaking, or close to. Very good; not great.
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Shinny red ruby. Black and red fruits, cassis, on a earthy nose. Full body, sweet on the entry, to spicy tannins on the finish. Hard to beat a Mondavi Oakville for the price.
Very reliable cabernet. Popped and poured and wine is open for business as it has been for my lat 6 or so bottles. Sadly, nearing the end of my supply of these.
Nose of dark fruits with a hint of cinnamon. Rich black currant with sweet tannins. Might cloying without lifting acidity on the finish. Highly enjoyable.
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served with meatloaf with great expectation; still too tannic and over bearing; has the potential to be an excellent win but needs at least 2 to 5 years of further maturity
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Had with short ribs n polenta. Decanted for 45 min. No sed. Dark n opaque. Nose somewhat muted for first hour plus, eventually nice cassis n red fruits showed up. Big soft round napa cab on profile. Tannins appreciated, but not too grippy. No heat noticeable. Will let my other bottle sit for a few years.
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Good napa cab. Could have still used more time, but was delicious. Only let it decant in the glass. A real decanter for 30 minutes or so would make this even better.
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A classic Napa Cabernet. Dark and opaque in the glass, offering earthy, spicy aromas of dried herbs and mint. Full-bodied, silky and mouth-coating but not heavy. Plenty of ripe, dark fruit and chocolate character here. The complex, spicy finish goes on for minutes with lingering notes of black licorice and mineral. Despite the 15.5% ABV, there is a surprising amount of finesse to this. As good or better than some recent Mondavi Reserve bottlings - at less than half the price. 50+5+12+17+9=93
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Very solid performance yet again tonight. Seemingly slightly high on the alcohol. Very dark red in the glass. Sweet and viscous. Mouth numbing finish. Great QPR.
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Aerated for 3hrs in a decanter and drunk with Oxtail Ragu
Beautiful dark ruby in color and very prominent oak/vanilla aromas. Unfortunately the oak dominated the fruit, with velvet smooth tannins and no acid. I don't consider this style of wine to be balanced when one component dominates.
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Wife and I tasted blind with 2008 Mondavi Oakville. Decanted both and drank over 2-5 hours. Both were excellent wines and we both blindly picked Honig as the best. Maybe b/c it's a year older or 07 a better year than 08, but just more going on with Honig. Still I'd give Mondavi a 92 or so. Honig just had a sweetness (almost zin like) along with solid tannins that made it incredible. Have more of both in cellar and will look forward to future taste tests. hold until 1-2014, 1-2016 and then decide on 2018 or beyond
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Modern, Fruit forward with intense dark fruits some blackberry and licorice notes. Soft and oaky vanilla but then a profound bitter edge on the long finish. Heat damage or high alcohol? Soft tannins make for a supple mouthfeel. I wouldn't call it elegant but it has some finesse to balance the onslaught of fruit. A Chevy corvette of a wine.
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90 - Love it, much better than the <80 Bartan, sticking with what I know and love. Just had taco with some spice, may be confusing spice factor from food to wine. Letting rest of bottle breathe for later consumption.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus youthful purple/garnet hue. The fruit really shows on the nose, with notes of crushed dark berries, ripe currant & cassis complimented by subtle herbaceous notes and vanilla spice from toasted oak. Medium-plus body. On the palate, flavors of mixed dark fruits are fresh and somewhat jammy. As on the nose, the fruit is again paired with rich flavors from the oak. The tannins are actually quite soft on the moderate-plus close. A Cabernet made more in the modern style, this wine is meant for enjoying near term before the fruit fades away.
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Very smooth. Big fruit on the nose and palette. Medium - soft tannins. A bit heavy on the alcohol heat straight from opening. Let this sit. I aerated this which gave a nice improvement...smoother with a more pronounced bouquet (+2-3 on my score).
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94" rating on this wine (Overrated, I think so)? Nice rich, deep reddish purple raspberry color, lite on the nose, an elegant wine that will evolve just as past vintages. I will check this one out in a few months.
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Very nice dark fruit forward cab with very soft tannins after decanting for only an hour. Surprisingly more of a drinking wine than a food wine (couldn't really stand up to a steak - a bit unusual for a young Oakville cab). I will likely pair my remaining bottles with only a glass. Drinking well now and can easily last a few more years, but I don't anticipate much improvement or benefit to aging past 2015.
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I had rated my previous bottle 92, so quite a big difference. I can't point to anything being wrong with the wine, just that flavor was muted, and never really opened up after two days ;into anything special. I'll hold off on remaining bottles for awhile.
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outstanding.purple and oak and smooth as you can get.glad i have 2 more. hadnit with friends at a bbq.highlight bottle of the nite.had a optima cab 2001 to compare.
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Classic Napa Cab. Fruity, prominent but medium-soft tannins. Big wine, but not so big it will seem out of place with a nice steak. Started opening up after 90 minutes and continued to improve thereafter; still peaking after 4.5 hours.
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Nose of oak, plumbs, blackberry and vanilla. Dark and concentrated. Full bodied but very hot on the finish. A little high on the alcohol. Not my style. You could leave this for a few years though i don't know how much it will gain.
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This wine is delicious. The oak is very prominent in the nose but balances well with the fruit. Delicious and should only get better as the oak mellows out. Long finish and full bodied. Bought half a case after trying.
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I have to say, I had a few of these already (but none in the last 6 months or so) and all have been stellar. Last nights P&P was spectacular...this baby is developing nicely!
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Very strong oak on open in taste and nose. After 2 hour decant wine really settled down and became very enjoyable. Great flavors of vanilla, dark chocolate and earth 2-3 hours after opening. Tried on the recommendation of a friend and the other notes on CT, and I'll be buying more to put away for a few years.
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sip and spit because of my stupid diet. not as generous on the nose as previous bottles, but still deeply flavored. spitting left a harsh, bitter, acrid, tannic, and unpleasant feeling on the tip of my tongue. i think that's more a function of me than a flaw in the wine, though.
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Dinner with friends at Wildfish San Antonio. While this wine was WAY over oaked for me. It was savory and buttery with vanilla and cream and delightful for everyone else at the table. Well made good cabernet deserving of the community marks of 91-92. Just not my current style. Everyone else thought it was absolutely outstanding.
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Vinturi/decant, drank over 3 hours - one of the best values I've had in Napa cap. A little tight at first; opened to dark fruit, vanilla, jam, oak. Fruit is bright and crisp. No noticeable heat. Lacked the depth and richness of some recently consumed but more expensive wines (caymus, barbour) but at the price is an absolute win. Purchased at Costco for $28 - unfortunately that deal is long gone.
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Very good, but not outstanding! A great character wine: enticing color, wonderful bouquet, but it did not taste like an outstanding wine; maybe down the road…
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue. Aromatically forward upon first pour, this shows Cabernet aromas of plummy, dark fruits, currant & cassis, pipe tobacco, cedar, mocha, and smoke from oak. Medium-plus body. Much like the nose, but even richer, this shows lush flavors of blackberry, cherry cordial, ripe currant, dark chocolate, and perhaps just a touch of the herbaceous. Moderate-plus close is tinged with oak and shows well-rounded tannins. Seems like it should drink nicely over the short to mid-term, hard to tell if enough structure is present for more. No matter what, this is made in a more modern style, even for Mondavi, and thoroughly Oakville. Fans of the style will love it.
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24 hour decant. Half on day one and half on day two.
Nose: red cherries, wild berry and bright oakville fruit character. Nice leather, vanilla and cedar as well. Palate: Mid weight and classic with red fruit attack, plum and blackberry as well some heat showing, but settles down after a while. Nice all spice and clove notes as well. Finish: bold black cherry, bright berry and cedar tones turn to leather and oak. Tokalon spice shows late in the finish too.
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One of two bottles consumed. No specific notes other than all liked this one a lot. I thought this wine was better when first opened than later in the evening. I think the Spectator is more right than wrong this time for this highly rated, value priced bottle.
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Aerated and funnel decanted, left to air for 3 hrs. Consumed with a friend while watching the President's Cup Golf over 3 hrs. This wine is superb! A great effort and at a fantastic price point for a wine of this caliber!
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A sexy cuvee, to be sure. The kind of cab that would do well for a first date if one wants the evening to go, say, in a certain direction! You get the drift. Aromas of new oak, like cinnamon stick. Dark fruit, almost inky, that while is not all that complex, the flavors are true and it finishes with some chocolate. I liked the wine and I think for about 30 bucks and change at Costco, it works. Funny enough I think, kind of like the red version of Rombauer chardonnay!
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Great value, will improve even further with age. Vanilla, cherry, some oak with typical tannins. A little tight on opening but evened out with some time, will decant next time. Drank over 3 hours (with wife) and improved throughout. Quite a mouthful and very nice. Very happy with this purchase.
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Decanted for two hours. See previous notes. Even creamier than I remember, with menthol and eucalyptous shining. Balanced and evolving. This, along with the Hall Napa, are my favorite '08 Napa Cabernet wines under $50. Drink 2013 - 2026.
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consistent with previous notes, although this was a bit more muted on the nose. the stupid cork was ALREADY showing signs of seepage. still one of my standout favorites from the '08 vintage.
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Young wine that will get better. A bit harsh on open but settles down after hour or so plus decanting. Vanilla and fresh fruit are very evident. Also fairly strong oak - more than I'd like, made me think of smelling inside of a new oak barrel. Long finish and a beautiful wine at this price. More time will be a virtue here.
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Fantastic fruit. Flavors of tobacco, oak and vanilla. Nice mouthfeel,long finish. Best bottle of this to date. Went suprisingly well with chicken dinner. Had after 2005 Rocca cab. I know which I'd rather drink again.
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Baby Caymus...So to speak. Extracted, syrup, astrigent, vanilla. Fits into the 08 Hall Cab catagory. If this does settle down, and can show some layers...Could be 94+ on its own merit. QPR value I would give it a 97. I can't find many $35 Napa Cabs that can offer this. Throw in a possible WS Top10 possible finish. However after having 7 bottles of this vintage thus far. Several are better than the others, all good. Some are very good....This style needs some refinement, 2-3 glasses can make you a jittery sugar high buzz. Not awesome with most food
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At first the tannins were a bit harsh and both the nose and palate were "glassy"- that is they were restrained as if separated by a glass pane. But with air over dinner, the palate intensified and the primary fruit shone through and the tannins settled down and the wine was beautiful with pan-fried ribeye. It is incredible that Mondavi offers such exquisite To Kalon cabernet fruit at this pricepoint.
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15.5% ABV. More or less opaque in the glass. Similar to the 2007 vintage but a bit more primary and fruit forward at this point. Aromas of cedar and mocha on the nose. Medium full bodied with ripe black currant and fairly large-scaled Cab flavors. Some tannin midpalate on. Pretty good.
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Wow this is a big brooding monster of a napa cab. If poured blind you'd probably guess this was a $100 cali cult cab of some sort. The nose had that gorgeous To Kalon nose of dark blue/black fruit, spice, vanilla that all flowed into a bruising mouthful of those flavors. The down fall for me is this wine really showed it's alcohol and it was almost too rich and extracted for me to drink even though I did and regreted it with the headache the next day.
If your looking for a lesser expensive option to fool some friends at a high end california tasting this is your wine. I think my palate is moving away from these type of brooding monsters. Rated 93 for the style but for my tastes this would barely crack a 90
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Dark fruit. Very smooth palate, finish lasted for a good 30 seconds. We decanted and, overall this performed a bit better on its own than it did with food (grilled rack of lamb). Absolutely no complaints for a Napa Cab at this price point, though. Really good stuff!
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See previous notes. Decanted for three hours. All the same nuances with black cherry, eucalyptus, loamy currant and some dark chocolate as well. An exquisite palate and a fair amount of muscle. Drink now till 2026 with a serious decant, if not, drink 2013 - 2026.
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Picked up a few of these and wanted to try one. Upon PnP, the nose was beautiful and pretty effusive, smelled like berries and cherries covered in vanilla cream sauce, very seductive. On the palate the initial attack was bombastic fruit (mostly red, cherries and raspberries), but the finish was very rough (astringent and tannic). Subsequently, decanted for ~45 minutes and drank over 2 hours. Toward the end (approaching 3 hours after opening), the finish was starting to smooth out, but still didn't get totally there. This wine has plenty of acidic and tannic structure to go along with plentiful fruit, and I suspect that it will substantially better in a few years. Will it get to a 94 (a la WS)? I doubt, but I think it might get close. Right now, I'm not seeing much in the way of interesting secondary characteristics, but if these emerge it will be great. As always, my score is based on how the wine drinks now, not how it is projected to be in the future. Bottom line: at ~$30, this is a very good QPR now for a Napa cab, and it has the potential to end up being a great QPR. Might pick up a few more to sit on. If you drink it now, give it at least a few hours of decanting.
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A bold Napa Cab of great concentration and density that enters the room with a confident swagger. Complex aromas and flavors of rich blackberries, sweet spice, plums, and vanilla beans. A little overpowering at points (15.5% alcohol) but with adequate aeration this comes together nicely. Would like to check in again in a year but for now I'd be in for 1-3 bottles of this at a target price of $30-$33.
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Open, poured and allowed to sit in the glass for 45 minutes before tasting. Drank over the course of 3 hours. Lots of good stuff going on here. Black fruit, cassis, tobacco and vanilla on the nose. Balanced black fruit, spice, mineral and tobacco on the palate with a very smooth and silky mouth feel. Initially, a bit of heat on the finish, but as time wore on that dissipated. Finish is long and satisfying with hints of chocolate and coffee. Gripping tannins indicate this will cellar well. I'm holding remaining bottles as well as looking for more!
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Wonderful wine. This stood up to the 2009 Caymus Cab, 2008 Stags Leap Artemis, 2008 Regusci Cab and 2008 Buccella Cab at a friend's dinner party last night. Despite the 15.5 % heat, this wine was surprisingly ultra smooth and silky in the mouth! Nice deep, dark, dense garnet color with glass hugging viscosity,. Tons of dark fruit on the nose with a little heat.vanilla and spice. Black raspberry, cassis, currant flavors nicely unfold with grace, supported by velvet tannins, mild acidity and subdued heat on the palate. The finish lasts a mile... and here is where you notice the 15.5 % heat.... or is that spice? I was pleased to see that this young wine is ready to drink right now. Best after a couple hours of decanting, but very approachable upon opening.
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Decanted for two hours. Violet, garnet and black, with a ruby rim. Black cherry, eucalyptus, spice, currant and loam. Dense and agile at the same time, with round and fleshy tannins, showing a long and caressing finish, ending with minerally touches. No heat at all and a true Napa hybrid: old in structure, with elegance and longevity - along with being new: voluptuous, ultra-rich and showy. The best Mondavi Oakville since '04. You must decant or wait a couple of years. Drink 2013 - 2026.
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This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Don Shapiro. It showed beautifully, with structure and flavors (independently recorded) comparable to those described 7/7/11. The aromatics were even more impressive, leading me to give it an even higher score. Bravo to Mondavi for taking up their game a notch or two on this bottling! Drink now-12/20.
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This wine was decanted, aerated for two hours, then serially tasted over the ensuing two hours. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows a very intense bouquet of dried cranberries, currants, tobacco and clove. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, big ripe tannins and well-integrated alcohol (listed as 15.5%). The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is full. Medium-to-long, smooth finish. This is a luscious, fruit-forward Napa Cab with good structure. Drink now-12/20.
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This wine goes through a totally disjointed stage, probably due to the high 15.5% alcohol. If you got the patience to decant this Cab for 4+ hours then it is pretty good but we still liked the Hall 2008 and Honig 2008 Cab better which we had both along side of the Mondavi. There is a window of 30 minutes to about 3 hours after opening where the 15.5% alcohol is very evident where food pairing would be very difficult because the alcohol lights up to any spice on a Rib eye Steak. It is pretty good right after opening. The only thing I liked was the 08 was less tannic than previous vintages of the Mondavi Oakville.
Blackberry, cassis, smoke, chocolate on palate and nose, med-long finish.
I am quit surprised no one has criticized this wine for being so much higher in Alcohol than most other Cabs. If this wine makes top 10 in Spectator WOTY, Mondavi must of paid them off. The Hall 2008 is way better for $10 more...
90 right after opening 84 Decanted 1-3 hours 88 Decanted 4 hours
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I've always liked Mondavi Oakville, and this is surely the best vintage I've tried. This is not quite as oakey as some of the previous vintages, which is a good thing.
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Much better after two days in the decanter. Dark rich color, nose of tobacco band aid, and black cherry. Viscous mouthfeel, beautiful fruit, moderate length finish. Nice qpr. Suspect this will improve with some time as well.
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12/17/2022 - Deelirious wrote: 92 Points
Excellent stuff. Has matured nicely. Lots of fruit. Tannins have mellowed and integrated
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11/8/2021 - rinnocenzi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful drink over next 5-10 years.
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2/28/2021 - Bam_Man wrote: 94 Points
Second to last bottle from a case purchased back in 2012. The last couple have seemed slightly over-the-hill, but this one was just perfect - maybe the best one yet. Now fully mature, showing lightening at the edge and some noticeable bricking. Powerful scents of baking spices and Napa earth fill the glass. Full-bodied and rich, but now smooth as silk. Still retains plenty of its gorgeous plum and dark currant fruit, but secondary flavors are now much more prominent. There's tremendous depth and intensity on the mid-palate and an incredibly long finish that features complex notes of spice, caramel and mineral. So elegant and refined. A splendid Mondavi Oakville that easily outperformed the 2007 Mondavi Reserve that we had several weeks ago to celebrate Kerry's birthday.
50+5+13+18+8=94
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1/4/2021 - Kenny_G Likes this wine: 93 Points
This $30 wine is my nomination for being the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon at its price level in the Mondavi line up. I love watching it soundly beat other Oakville Cabs made by non-Mondavi wineries priced 2 to 3 times as much as this Mondavi. Two things make this wine superior - a high percentage of Caberbet Sauvignon of 88% and a high 90% of its grapes from the great Tok Alon Vineyard owned by Mondavi.
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12/25/2020 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted from a bottle that was purchased upon release and pristinely cellared, this wine was decanted off of its heavy sediment and serially sampled over the ensuing three hours. A deep-to-opaque ruby blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot, more than 90% of the fruit was sourced from the To Kalon vineyard. Ripe, rich and with impressive depth, it is packed with black cherry and black currant fruit, accented with notes of allspice, licorice, espresso, cedar and lavender. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and nicely balanced, it weaves in a well-integrated component of spicy oak. Despite being listed as 15.5%, the alcohol is likewise well-woven, as are the plentiful fine-grained tannins. Solid in the middle and long on the back end, this is a delicious Cab that should show well throughout the decade. Drink now-2030.
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11/19/2020 - kcp Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle coming to a satisfying end. And to think I paid $27 all these years ago. Not the same world today.
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11/16/2020 - Castle Peak wrote: 93 Points
Opened up nicely over a couple hours. Aging well.
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7/13/2020 - Snag One Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes before pouring. Deep crimson red color. The nose consists of ripe figs, blueberries, toast, black peppercorns, cherries and mint. Complex layers of cherries, black peppercorns, cassis, dried figs and licorice. Terrific wine that has aged very well.
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5/26/2020 - actx wrote: 92 Points
Opened up nicely after an hour decant. Strong tannins still, vanilla on the nose with cedar and dark fruit. Great wine.
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5/2/2020 - aecklund wrote: 93 Points
Perfect time to drink, let it air a little and it opened right up
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2/19/2020 - nowine4u Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agree with La Cave d'Argent's post. Wine is in a good place presently. Lovely aroma, smooth entry, beautiful fruit with spice and charcoal flavors. Medium complexity; integrated oak; non-existent tannis. Wish I have a couple more bottles.
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2/9/2020 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2013 Barolo (Neil's): An anniversary year bottle for Domino and I, the first of three, double decanted off its sediment about three hours before dinner. Black fruit, currant and spice. On the young side, I think, with flavors of dark fruit, cassis, licorice and plum. A bit of spice and herb as well. Good weight and balance, with a lingering finish. Very happy to have a couple more stashed in the cellar.
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1/16/2020 - gamlingman Likes this wine: 89 Points
So after sitting in my cellar for 10 years we opened this last evening. After a solid 1 hour decanting - I was surprised how mellow and soft it was. Either I was expecting more or time had come earlier for this wine. Full of berry, cedar, and, not much as far as Tannins or finish it had a nice nose, solid fruit but lacking the concentration or finish that I would have expected. A solid wine maybe it had just passed its peak!
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1/5/2020 - SpoochMan wrote:
Brought to New Year's Day party at P & M's. Did not taste
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12/19/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot is still opaque crimson in color. More than 90% of the fruit for this wine was sourced from To Kalon, and it shows. Ripe, rich and with impressive depth, it is a Cab that wows from the get-go. Packed with black fruit, allspice, licorice, espresso, bark and lavender, it is a full-bodied, freshly acidic and beautifully balanced wine. There is a generous component of spicy oak, but it is nicely integrated. This is also the case for the alcohol (15.5%) and tannins. Solid in the middle and finishing long, this is simply a joy to drink. When last tasted in 2011, I grossly underestimated its longevity. Drink now-2028.
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12/16/2019 - Dmjmd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Balanced softened tannins good fruit drinkable and definitely drink now
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10/19/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine tasting group. Group's 5/5. This was a solid napa cab, but seemed a bit monolithic and uninteresting amongst a quirky group of diverse wines.
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6/17/2018 - aimperati Likes this wine: 91 Points
Let this decant for 3 hours beforehand but it was stunning out of the bottle. Strong cocoa notes on the finish, smooth and silky. Paired it with grilled ribeye and lamb chops. Drink now.
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5/23/2018 - The Wine Write Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aerated, drank over 2 nights. Classic blue/black fruit Cab profile. Really in a nice spot, with more life ahead. Racy texture, nice long finish.
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5/10/2018 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree with BigredPA's review. Nice mature plush cab with typically rich dark fruit that is in its prime. No reason to wait.
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4/23/2018 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mature now; integrated tannin with the lingering fruit. Still, enticing elements of blackcurrant, Asian spice, and earthy undertones. Time to drink/finish off.
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1/28/2018 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
Not quite the improvement I was expecting with time. Fruit a little faint retained its structure, comes across a bit one dimensional, tannins remain firm -showing signs that this is on its way down. Enjoyable with food not memorable. Drink now.
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1/13/2018 - joet626 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good but not exceptional. Nice dark fruit. Tasty
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10/23/2017 - cheetadad wrote:
Unfortunately its almost past peak. The fruit has begun to fade from what I remember 2 years ago. Cant see it going much longer. No score. Rather remember it for what it was than what it is.
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8/25/2017 - Vietty Likes this wine:
This wine has turned out to be one of the most satisfying QPR purchases so far on my relatively short wine experience. I bought half a case when I first started getting into wine for $35/bottle. It was a large purchase for me at the time when I usually bought single bottles. I've enjoyed experiencing it change over time: the tannin have integrated a bit, the initially bold dark fruits have softened and is in better balance with some interesting tertiary notes hinting out in the background. Nice mouth feel and good finish. This label is not something to bust out at a wine geek get together, but for a weekday cab with a hanger steak it really sings, especially with some age on it.
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7/22/2017 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was almost exactly a year ago and my notes this time were mostly consistent, again confirming this wine is at peak. Full bodied and despite the 15.5% ABV, not at all hot or unbalanced. Blackfruit, vanilla and leather on the nose. Opened a bit over two hours ahead of time and it showed the blackfruit and currant notes that have marked all my bottles, but perhaps just slightly softer this time, with less upfront brightness. Earth, chocolate, leather and spices on the background and into the finish. Tannins remain fine grained and mostly well integrated and the wine in general remains quite well balanced. While overall, this bottle was quite similar to my prior one, around the edges, you start to get the feeling that it might be starting to fade ever so slightly. I don't have any immediate concerns and I expect this wine should be able to drink quite well for another few years, but I don't see any room for additional improvement.
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4/19/2017 - sanjuanlewis Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid California effort for the price. Doubt this will improve with further aging. Plan to drink my other bottle soon.
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3/12/2017 - tomoem wrote: 91 Points
I reiterate some of my previous note on this wine with the following.
Licorice, black cherry and cedar box dominate the flavors. Lingering mouthfeel is dry and unbalanced. I waited 24 hours and got me that the tannins definitely eased and the lingering dry feel dissipated. Worth finding and need stop have 4 hours decant minimum.
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2/5/2017 - nowine4u Likes this wine: 93 Points
Such a well made wine.
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2/1/2017 - Boom Baby! wrote: 95 Points
This is the quintessential Napa Cab. Tar, leather, tobacco and big lushes fruit on the finish. No wonder this was W/S Top 20 pick in 2011. This wine will see it's tenth year and beyond with ease. Believe it or not we decided to drink this wine with sushi, and it worked! One of my favorites. I have one more magnum left in the cellar.... until then.
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1/1/2017 - jfolbe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Actually peaking. Give it a 20 minute decant or start with shallow pours. Dark luscious fruit. Tannins still present and not over powering. Let bing it. Amazing QPR.
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1/1/2017 - Pour Boy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is at peak. Great fruit braced with just enough tannins and structure. Nice effort in a great vintage.
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12/23/2016 - maxmanx wrote:
Definitely a very nice cabernet, and was ready to go after an hour decant. Good value at $30 on release.
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12/3/2016 - ppaluszewski Likes this wine:
A solid example of a dark, brooding Napa Cab. In it's window with some dark fruit, rounded tannins, and earth and tobacco notes on the nose and palate. Perhaps not as fruit forward as it once was, but showing well at the 8+ year mark. 91 pts. PJP 2016.
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12/2/2016 - Wine Lover 1964 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite different than our last bottle we had 2.5 years ago in June of 2014. Decanted 45 minutes and consumed over 2 hours. As many have noted, strong pipe tobacco on the nose and palette which has now replaced the once strong fruit it had in it's youth. Tobacco VERY prominent to me on the nose. This wine is just in a different point of it's life now. Tannins still subtly there but this wine has defiantly matured. We will try to hold our last bottle another year or so to try to make the 10 year mark to see the final changes that may occur.
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11/21/2016 - BRR Likes this wine: 90 Points
At least with this bottle, the fruit is starting to fade. The boisterous fruit and personality is, for me, what made this wine so enjoyable earlier in its life, so I'd say drink up over the next 1-2 years if you have any left. This was, however, better on day 2.
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8/21/2016 - SpoochMan wrote:
Gifted to Ruben's father
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8/18/2016 - tomoem Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened sans decant and had the following notes:
Immidiate florals and fruit jump out of the glass. Mouthfeel was velvety soft with a bright berry dominant taste. Dark cherries lead to blueberry with a mocha background. For the first hour the wine seemed astringent which improved with some air time. I recommend decanting this wine and letting it sit before consuming.
After one hour of aeration it really did not change much. Long finish with noticibly spice and cedar box. Distinct licorice flavors persist.
This is a fairly big effort for a wine of this price point.
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7/23/2016 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackfruit, earth and leather on the nose. Full bodied and nearly identical notes to my prior bottle of 8 months ago (Nov 2015). Again opened two hours ahead of time and showed the bright yet smooth blackfruit and currant through the middle with earth, chocolate, leather and integrated spices on the finish. Very nice, fine grained tannins that provide plenty of backbone for the fruit but are fully integrated with the wine. This wine remains in a really nice drinking window. I'll echo Bam Man's final comment in his note from below: "Elegant, polished and seamless".
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5/29/2016 - LCHammer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agree with most. Great fruit but not over the top. Great structure, went well on POP by itself and later on with BBQ. Great value, you can pay much more and get less.
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5/7/2016 - Bam_Man wrote: 92 Points
Brought with us to Vintage on Fifth, Crystal River ($15 corkage). Halfway through eight bottles purchased in 2011. This now seems fully mature. Much more elegant on the palate than before. Still displays ample black cherry and dark currant fruit - just not as much as previous bottles - while secondary notes of chocolate and spice have crept in from the background. Balanced, harmonious and not nearly as tannic and chewy as earlier bottles. Finishes very long - with just a touch of oak. Actually seemed to gain length and depth throughout the evening. Elegant, polished and seamless.
50+5+12+17+8=92
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3/25/2016 - joet626 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Nice and rich with good fruit
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2/29/2016 - John O' wrote: 94 Points
see prev notes. beautiful with no evidence of fading
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2/19/2016 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
See previous tasting notes - still drinking very well. Fantastic wine.
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2/12/2016 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Well made with plenty of life left. Pretty well balanced. Lush but not sweet/juicy dark fruit. Finish and nose were not noteworthy but nothing wrong. Silky yet somewhat viscous. Some tobacco and earthy notes.
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12/25/2015 - cheetadad Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP - no need to decant this. Aromas of dark berries and a hint of cocoa. Taste follows suit. Berry, black currant, cocoa and ending with tobacco. Little air time did not seem to do much for a wine that's singing a perfect tune at the moment. Paired with Spanish rub strip with an aged sherry vinegar sauce (courtesy Bobby Flay). Nice ending.
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12/19/2015 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Double decanted, two hours, moderate sediment. Garnet color. Blackberry and vanilla nose. Rich, dark fruit, quite dry on the palate, and not fully integrated with the acids and heavy tannins. Moderate length finish. May improve with more aging.
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11/25/2015 - chuckos77 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much nicer than I remember. Nice heavy flavor but no noticeable tannins. Soft, velvet on the tongue with short finish. Noticeably dry and easy to drink. Wish I had more at that price.
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11/21/2015 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blackfruit and leather on the nose. Nearly full bodied with exceptional balance. This wine has improved nicely since my last bottle (Nov 2014). Still displays the blackfruit and currant notes, but after being open for two hours ahead of time, the wine seemed to have a bit better balance and the fruit seemed a little bit brighter than last year. I don't get the sense that this wine is fading, but rather that it's opening up and showing its full range of complexity, while retaining the structure and depth. The finish continued to show good length along with very nice earth, leather, minerals and mint. Given where the fruit and structure are today, I would say this wine is at peak and I don't see it's balance or integration being helped by further time. Should continue to show well for 2-3 years at this level.
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11/7/2015 - markcic wrote: 90 Points
We decanted through a vinturi and let sit for 2 hours. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was blueberry and cherry, a little oak and a touch of tobacco, the long finish brought out a hint of thyme.
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10/26/2015 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 92 Points
it took a while to open up. It eventually did and I scored it 92.
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10/4/2015 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is past its prime. We let it breathe for hours, decanted it. Alas, it was on the light side and had lost much of its glory. It still complimented our meal nicely, but tasted like a lighter, nice Merlot. Damn.
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10/3/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Day 1 PnP: Polished and warm, big but elegant for any size. Put a cork on remaining half of bottle.
Day 2: About the same, honestly. 24 hours of air did not really make a dent; may have lost a tad of fruit. Keep drinking window through 2020.
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8/22/2015 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 93 Points
pnv'd into decanter... loved the immediate vibrancy, deep slow legs with mouth coating body, lovely flavor, bouquet a bit muted vs. other components.. with strip steak.. DELICIOUS .. years left
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7/17/2015 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
excellent drinking well
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6/17/2015 - vinomex wrote: 91 Points
Did not think it improved significantly from 4 years ago. I actually liked the young vibrancy on this will. Great value.
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5/12/2015 - GGinSF wrote: 91 Points
A really wonderful Oakville Cab, and even better considering the price. Full tannins have aged well and are starting to soften up, but still offer a strong backbone. Juicy fruit, but not overripened or cloying. Perfect with grilled ribeye steak. Drinking well now, an hour decanting helps but isn't a must-do. Should last for 4-5 more years.
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5/10/2015 - Jmartin wrote:
Excellent wine.
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4/15/2015 - Vietty wrote:
Dark brick red edge into a dark core. Nose not super expressive but I smell some red fruit and hint of florals. Initial taste was astringent. Decant and one hour aeration in cellar opens up the wine and softened the tannins a bit. I would say this wine is more in line with dark cherry and raspberry than blue berries and blackberries. There's some spice/licorice. There's some violet in there. There's a bit too much oak for my taste. There's good density but not a plush/velvety texture. I would call it medium mouthfeel. The acidity sticks out too much for me on its own, but I think it's the acidity that allows the wine to work better with food. Not bad for the $30 price of admission (esp one that can keep aging for 5-10 more years) but it's not something I'm going to reach for if I'm celebrating a special occasion.
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3/24/2015 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Really composed, lush and deep; blackberry and other dark fruit notes abound. This is a great cab for the price.
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3/23/2015 - BRR Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a reminder of how fun it can be to enjoy well-made Napa Cabernet. Rich aromas and flavors of blackberry jam, currant and charcoal were supremely enjoyable. It's all about fruit, and the alcohol does peek through on the nose some of the time. However, it's well-structured and the tannins and ample fruit could still use a year or three to soften just a bit more.
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3/7/2015 - RobbieC wrote: 92 Points
One hour decant. Nice blend of fruit and oak. Perhaps a touch more oak than we prefer but that's being picky. Tannins are fine and mellowing. Good balance. Drinking well now.
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12/30/2014 - spineguy wrote: 92 Points
Great balance of tannins and somewhat mature fruit. Big, big boy. Nice finish. Cassis and dark fruit on palate. Moderate complexity. Definitely a Cali cab.
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12/24/2014 - twelch wrote: 91 Points
First day tight as nails not giving up much of that beautiful nose and fruit that this typically shows for me. Rebottled 1/2 bottle into a split and consumed 3 days later; Much better.. ahhh theres that beautiful nose. Decant these for the time being.
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11/21/2014 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full bodied wine with strong blackfruit and mint on the nose. Needs about 90 minutes to fully open up. Beautiful mix of dense blackfruit and currant that's just starting to display its complexity. Very smooth through the middle and well integrated with the lengthy finish where it adds earth, minerals and mint. Very good tannins, but they fine grained and add structure and richness without being unpleasantly drying. Just a really exceptional bottle to drink between the fruit, the complexity, the depth and the balance. I believe this wine has a good amount of upside remaining and will look forward to following its development.
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11/12/2014 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
First one of these since December, 2012. Consistent with my note from back then. Still a very youthful-looking dark opaque magenta in color. Classic Napa Cab nose of cassis, sous bois and crushed black cherries. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture. Comes across as a big wine, but not at all heavy or over-extracted. Positively bursting with luscious black cherry and blackberry fruit, with hints of spice, chocolate and mineral. Shows fabulous depth and intensity on the mid-palate along with fine length. Big and powerful - but wonderfully balanced, with a sense of elegance and finesse. A gorgeous Napa Cabernet that is drinking beautifully right now.
50+5+12+18+8=93
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10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid cab that outdoes itself - easily stands with bottles that are twice the price. I usually like these as they are normally heavily sourced (sometimes even moreso than the Reserve) from To Kalon, although one should always check since it changes from year to year.
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10/4/2014 - John O' Likes this wine: 96 Points
every now and then the critics get it right. Gorgeous Napa Cab. Pretty much right form the pop, but held up through dinner.
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7/28/2014 - denisontb Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had with Ribeye, pop & pour. A bit muted at opening, it really blossomed about an hour after opening. Classic Napa Cab characteristics, very nice wine.
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6/21/2014 - Wine Lover 1964 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted over 2-4 hours and had with rib eye steak. This wine is still awesome. Great fruit on the nose and tannins that say plenty of life left. Can't tell a difference from bottle 2 years ago. Has normal Napa flavors but also one unique smell or taste I can quite describe but man is it GOOD! I feel like I stole this at $40 price paid.
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5/24/2014 - swade wrote: 93 Points
Purple color, with no signs of age. Creamy entry. Rippling mid-riff of black fruit. Round, polished tannins. Middle weight. Balanced. Plus finish. Years to go. This exceeded expectations. Well done. I'm looking forward to the next bottle. Paired well with grilled steak kebabs. 93
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3/29/2014 - webbaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Third tasting with consistent notes. Pop and pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. No sediment. Perfumed aroma on initial pour. Nice fruit flavors, good balance. No real depth or intensity, but a nice cab at this price point. I'm disappointed to see the price go way up to around $64, not worth that IMO.
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3/16/2014 - benny wrote: 92 Points
All the checks for Napa Cab at a reasonable price. For sure a steak wine.
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3/10/2014 - BadOyster wrote: 93 Points
a beautifully done Mondavi, with pronounced fruit but good grip and length. nice wine for the money!
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3/8/2014 - alabunka wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well now - this is a lush, almost sweet wine with excellent fruit and good, balanced tannins
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1/29/2014 - WVwino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful with a Rib Eye
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1/26/2014 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine really sings. It is polished, smooth and as it opens up with air has a long and balanced finish. Well done.
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1/17/2014 - jkvedar wrote: 90 Points
Nose is muted, but nice round flavor with soft tannins - no decant time.
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12/7/2013 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Vertical Tasting (2006-2009). Tasted these 4 vintages with our wine tasting group. The group consensus was that 2007 and 2008 were the best of the 4 wines, with roughly half of the group preferring 07 and the other half 08. I thought the 08 was initially the deepest and richest, but after a couple of hours in the glass the 07 was showing some more complexity and might have eclipsed the 08 slightly. But the 07 and 08 were overall very similar, and both are still quite young. I will give my remaining bottles of the 07 and 08 a few years of time before drinking them. The 06 was similar overall in flavor profile to 07 and 08, but it lacked the depth of those two vintages and the finish was a bit bitter and awkward. The 09 had a very different flavor profile than the others, showing red fruits (whereas the 07 and 08 were more black fruits) and more spice and tartness. Toward the end, the 09 was coming into some degree of balance, but it lacked the richness of 07 and 08. Overall, all of the wines were good and very reasonable QPRs.
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11/22/2013 - AIB Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed very much! Dark purple, lots of fruit and a bit of cherry vanilla.
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10/29/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Second tasting with consistent notes. Pop and pour, then consumed over the next 24 hours. No sediment. Wonderful perfumed aroma on initial pour. Nice fruit flavors, good tannic balance. No real depth or intensity, but a nice cab at $36.
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10/22/2013 - Kenneth14 wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine but much better after it was opened for a couple of hours.
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10/19/2013 - SCMeyer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of toast and red fruit, but somewhat muted. Big wine. Red dense fruits, toast, and nice drying tannins lifted by nice acidity. Can't help but think it needs more time to fully come together and show more. Will give others more time.
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9/13/2013 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 87 Points
best on third day, consistent with other bottles, does not measure up.
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9/11/2013 - sellerscellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was much more expressive on both the nose and palate. Maybe some bottle varioation or it's starting to come out of it's dumb phase. This was velvety smooth, well balanced, creamy and delicious.
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9/9/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bested the 2010 Beringer Knights Valley Reserve that was opened just prior to this wine. (94pts. vs 93 pts.) The real winner her was ME!
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9/1/2013 - greekwineaux wrote: 92 Points
This is the one to get. Dark chocolate and spice-nice integration of oak. Moderate finish. Best Oakville Mondavi has produced, and more bottle age will improve it further. 92+
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8/31/2013 - Castle Peak wrote: 91 Points
Elegant, well structured and has a nice flavor profile. Very good Oakville Cab.
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7/6/2013 - Yack Man wrote: 88 Points
I must say, I still don't think this is a 94 point wine (Maybe Parker tasted a few too many wines that day). No doubt, my style and preferences are different from his. This is a good wine, but not that special to me.
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6/17/2013 - sellerscellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was somewhat muted in aromas and flavor profile. It seemed shut down, and this was after 45 min. decant. Maybe a dumb phase? Still delicious and smooth, but previous bottles i had a year ago had muchmore going on. I'll hold off tasting another bottle for another 6 months and see what happens then.
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6/3/2013 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
Just needs many hours to tame the oak and then it's good.
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5/13/2013 - 2Travel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very full Napa cab with great density and grip. Classic cassis flavor. Went exceedingly well with steak.
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5/12/2013 - RPerro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine, lots of body, big fruit (black cherry and currant), big oak though too. Needed a lot of air to mellow out the oak attack. I'd give this one more time.
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5/5/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Comparable to previous tastings - this is one great wine!
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4/22/2013 - cigar52 Likes this wine: 91 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish. Enough tannin to hold up for a few more years.
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4/16/2013 - GaryHOhio wrote: 91 Points
Delightful Cabernet. 45 minute decant. Nice nose of berries, vanilla and menthol with some heat. Nice fruit on the palate with an above average finish. Nice mouthfeel, typical Mondavi Oakville.
Perhaps not the best QPR but always nice to drink a Mondavi. Solid and reliable. Enjoy the 2008 now but will be even better in 2-5 years.
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4/7/2013 - michigan dogs wrote: 86 Points
nothing special, my experience has not been up to other posters, it's good, but I struggle to give it a higher score, way below recent cabs like Caymus, John Anthony and Pina.
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4/7/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
This only gets better and better - Wonderful! Same tasting notes as 8-21-11.
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3/23/2013 - Cresus wrote: 91 Points
Not as good as I remember. Fruit is still nice. Tannins are integrating but still need time. Some menthol. Wi be interesting to see what happens next.
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3/17/2013 - Tasteofsunshine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby red. Full bodied. Plum, red berry fruit on palate, chocolate on finish. Sweet & delicious!
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3/5/2013 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Splash decant ... Big up front fruit, vanilla, chocolate and hints of nutmeg. Quite smooth, but not as complex as expected, based on other notes. Overall nice and very easy to drink. Didn't really improve as the night wore on (didn't fall apart either), so I'm guessing it's peaking, or close to. Very good; not great.
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2/28/2013 - wfdeacon wrote: 92 Points
Shinny red ruby. Black and red fruits, cassis, on a earthy nose. Full body, sweet on the entry, to spicy tannins on the finish. Hard to beat a Mondavi Oakville for the price.
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2/21/2013 - ericed wrote: 91 Points
Very reliable cabernet. Popped and poured and wine is open for business as it has been for my lat 6 or so bottles. Sadly, nearing the end of my supply of these.
Nose of dark fruits with a hint of cinnamon. Rich black currant with sweet tannins. Might cloying without lifting acidity on the finish. Highly enjoyable.
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2/6/2013 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed this bottle with Mike and Sharon at Hampton Inn Cleveland Airport
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2/4/2013 - alabunka wrote: 88 Points
served with meatloaf with great expectation; still too tannic and over bearing; has the potential to be an excellent win but needs at least 2 to 5 years of further maturity
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1/31/2013 - Whine-oh wrote: 90 Points
Had with short ribs n polenta. Decanted for 45 min. No sed. Dark n opaque. Nose somewhat muted for first hour plus, eventually nice cassis n red fruits showed up. Big soft round napa cab on profile. Tannins appreciated, but not too grippy. No heat noticeable. Will let my other bottle sit for a few years.
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1/21/2013 - slippytoad wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was a bit too bright and jammy but it got better with time.
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12/14/2012 - wineo11 wrote: 90 Points
Good napa cab. Could have still used more time, but was delicious. Only let it decant in the glass. A real decanter for 30 minutes or so would make this even better.
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12/11/2012 - Bam_Man wrote: 93 Points
A classic Napa Cabernet. Dark and opaque in the glass, offering earthy, spicy aromas of dried herbs and mint. Full-bodied, silky and mouth-coating but not heavy. Plenty of ripe, dark fruit and chocolate character here. The complex, spicy finish goes on for minutes with lingering notes of black licorice and mineral. Despite the 15.5% ABV, there is a surprising amount of finesse to this. As good or better than some recent Mondavi Reserve bottlings - at less than half the price.
50+5+12+17+9=93
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11/18/2012 - jad1964 wrote: 91 Points
good value cab. give it an hour to open up.
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11/11/2012 - AIB wrote: 89 Points
Still tons of life in this bottle. Not too many tannins. Fruit forward cab. I have three or 4 left and will wait a couple of years to try again.
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11/7/2012 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
Very solid performance yet again tonight. Seemingly slightly high on the alcohol. Very dark red in the glass. Sweet and viscous. Mouth numbing finish. Great QPR.
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10/24/2012 - denisontb wrote: 90 Points
Very good Napa Cab. Chewy tannins, delicious flavors. Very tasty.
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10/20/2012 - JustDrinkIt wrote: 84 Points
Aerated for 3hrs in a decanter and drunk with Oxtail Ragu
Beautiful dark ruby in color and very prominent oak/vanilla aromas. Unfortunately the oak dominated the fruit, with velvet smooth tannins and no acid. I don't consider this style of wine to be balanced when one component dominates.
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10/19/2012 - dontime wrote:
Really nice bottle of Cali Cab. Big fruit, licorice and sweet vanilla. Balanced oak. Medium+ mouth feel. If scoring 91-93.
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10/19/2012 - Wine Lover 1964 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wife and I tasted blind with 2008 Mondavi Oakville. Decanted both and drank over 2-5 hours. Both were excellent wines and we both blindly picked Honig as the best. Maybe b/c it's a year older or 07 a better year than 08, but just more going on with Honig. Still I'd give Mondavi a 92 or so. Honig just had a sweetness (almost zin like) along with solid tannins that made it incredible. Have more of both in cellar and will look forward to future taste tests. hold until 1-2014, 1-2016 and then decide on 2018 or beyond
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10/8/2012 - greekwineaux wrote: 93 Points
Very impressive-had a chance to get more, but I thought I'd save a few bucks and settle on a 3-pack. Gotta stop doing that.
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9/27/2012 - Levinsb wrote: 90 Points
Modern, Fruit forward with intense dark fruits some blackberry and licorice notes. Soft and oaky vanilla but then a profound bitter edge on the long finish. Heat damage or high alcohol? Soft tannins make for a supple mouthfeel. I wouldn't call it elegant but it has some finesse to balance the onslaught of fruit. A Chevy corvette of a wine.
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9/24/2012 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Way too good for the price!
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9/18/2012 - Yack Man wrote: 89 Points
Getting better by 1 point! Medium-plus young. Sour cherries, oak, and a rich nose. This is good and improving.
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9/15/2012 - gpeng wrote: 91 Points
90 - Love it, much better than the <80 Bartan, sticking with what I know and love. Just had taco with some spice, may be confusing spice factor from food to wine. Letting rest of bottle breathe for later consumption.
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9/14/2012 - caeleric wrote: flawed
pnp. smelled and tasted heat damaged.
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8/11/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus youthful purple/garnet hue. The fruit really shows on the nose, with notes of crushed dark berries, ripe currant & cassis complimented by subtle herbaceous notes and vanilla spice from toasted oak. Medium-plus body. On the palate, flavors of mixed dark fruits are fresh and somewhat jammy. As on the nose, the fruit is again paired with rich flavors from the oak. The tannins are actually quite soft on the moderate-plus close. A Cabernet made more in the modern style, this wine is meant for enjoying near term before the fruit fades away.
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8/11/2012 - with_1 wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth. Big fruit on the nose and palette. Medium - soft tannins. A bit heavy on the alcohol heat straight from opening. Let this sit. I aerated this which gave a nice improvement...smoother with a more pronounced bouquet (+2-3 on my score).
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7/26/2012 - Yack Man wrote: 88 Points
94" rating on this wine (Overrated, I think so)? Nice rich, deep reddish purple raspberry color, lite on the nose, an elegant wine that will evolve just as past vintages. I will check this one out in a few months.
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7/25/2012 - artoopeo wrote: 91 Points
Very nice dark fruit forward cab with very soft tannins after decanting for only an hour. Surprisingly more of a drinking wine than a food wine (couldn't really stand up to a steak - a bit unusual for a young Oakville cab). I will likely pair my remaining bottles with only a glass. Drinking well now and can easily last a few more years, but I don't anticipate much improvement or benefit to aging past 2015.
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7/17/2012 - webbaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
nice fruit, good depth & balance. Excellent bargain at this price point.
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7/4/2012 - slippytoad wrote: 93 Points
Delicious, clings to the glass, a real crowd pleaser
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6/11/2012 - michigan dogs wrote: 86 Points
I had rated my previous bottle 92, so quite a big difference. I can't point to anything being wrong with the wine, just that flavor was muted, and never really opened up after two days ;into anything special. I'll hold off on remaining bottles for awhile.
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6/10/2012 - AEROSMITH wrote: 94 Points
outstanding.purple and oak and smooth as you can get.glad i have 2 more. hadnit with friends at a bbq.highlight bottle of the nite.had a optima cab 2001 to compare.
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6/3/2012 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sim notes to 5-26-12 tasting
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5/26/2012 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great follow up to an 08 Caymus Cab. I liked this wine better.
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5/20/2012 - godbee wrote: 91 Points
Needed a great deal of time to open.
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5/12/2012 - jchrisharris wrote: 92 Points
Classic Napa Cab. Fruity, prominent but medium-soft tannins. Big wine, but not so big it will seem out of place with a nice steak. Started opening up after 90 minutes and continued to improve thereafter; still peaking after 4.5 hours.
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4/26/2012 - KVM wrote: 87 Points
Dark red. Not much cabernet character in the nose - plum jam. Sweet fruit and vanilla. $110 in Houston restaurant is way too much.
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3/24/2012 - Poisey wrote: 88 Points
Nose of oak, plumbs, blackberry and vanilla. Dark and concentrated. Full bodied but very hot on the finish. A little high on the alcohol. Not my style. You could leave this for a few years though i don't know how much it will gain.
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2/27/2012 - cbhall wrote: 94 Points
Nice tastes of cherry and blackberries with hints of bayleaf.
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2/14/2012 - AIB wrote: 92 Points
Should have decanted this bottle. Delicious but started off a bit closed. This will get better over time.
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2/10/2012 - Cresus wrote: 94 Points
This wine is delicious. The oak is very prominent in the nose but balances well with the fruit. Delicious and should only get better as the oak mellows out. Long finish and full bodied. Bought half a case after trying.
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2/9/2012 - BK29 wrote: 95 Points
I have to say, I had a few of these already (but none in the last 6 months or so) and all have been stellar. Last nights P&P was spectacular...this baby is developing nicely!
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2/8/2012 - dstein12 wrote: 90 Points
Not worthy of the WS rating. Well made, but not a 94...
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1/31/2012 - spaciello wrote: 94 Points
Very young but very good. I can't wait to see how this one evolves. Best bang for the buck at $42 delivered
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1/19/2012 - cbizzle wrote: 92 Points
Very strong oak on open in taste and nose. After 2 hour decant wine really settled down and became very enjoyable. Great flavors of vanilla, dark chocolate and earth 2-3 hours after opening. Tried on the recommendation of a friend and the other notes on CT, and I'll be buying more to put away for a few years.
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1/10/2012 - caeleric Likes this wine:
sip and spit because of my stupid diet. not as generous on the nose as previous bottles, but still deeply flavored. spitting left a harsh, bitter, acrid, tannic, and unpleasant feeling on the tip of my tongue. i think that's more a function of me than a flaw in the wine, though.
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1/6/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with friends at Wildfish San Antonio. While this wine was WAY over oaked for me. It was savory and buttery with vanilla and cream and delightful for everyone else at the table. Well made good cabernet deserving of the community marks of 91-92. Just not my current style. Everyone else thought it was absolutely outstanding.
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1/4/2012 - daniel.jay wrote: 92 Points
Vinturi/decant, drank over 3 hours - one of the best values I've had in Napa cap. A little tight at first; opened to dark fruit, vanilla, jam, oak. Fruit is bright and crisp. No noticeable heat. Lacked the depth and richness of some recently consumed but more expensive wines (caymus, barbour) but at the price is an absolute win. Purchased at Costco for $28 - unfortunately that deal is long gone.
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1/3/2012 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour - note after 3 hours. Cassis and licorice on the nose. Nice balance, sweet tannins. Good QPR.
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1/1/2012 - RATER wrote: 91 Points
Very good, but not outstanding!
A great character wine: enticing color, wonderful bouquet, but it did not taste like an outstanding wine; maybe down the road…
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12/29/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue. Aromatically forward upon first pour, this shows Cabernet aromas of plummy, dark fruits, currant & cassis, pipe tobacco, cedar, mocha, and smoke from oak. Medium-plus body. Much like the nose, but even richer, this shows lush flavors of blackberry, cherry cordial, ripe currant, dark chocolate, and perhaps just a touch of the herbaceous. Moderate-plus close is tinged with oak and shows well-rounded tannins. Seems like it should drink nicely over the short to mid-term, hard to tell if enough structure is present for more. No matter what, this is made in a more modern style, even for Mondavi, and thoroughly Oakville. Fans of the style will love it.
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12/27/2011 - Santaliz wrote: 92 Points
Brother-in-law brought his favorite organic for a blind test and the aroma fruit made this a clear win.
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12/26/2011 - RockinCabs wrote: 93 Points
24 hour decant. Half on day one and half on day two.
Nose: red cherries, wild berry and bright oakville fruit character. Nice leather, vanilla and cedar as well. Palate: Mid weight and classic with red fruit attack, plum and blackberry as well some heat showing, but settles down after a while. Nice all spice and clove notes as well. Finish: bold black cherry, bright berry and cedar tones turn to leather and oak. Tokalon spice shows late in the finish too.
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12/14/2011 - neighborbill wrote: 92 Points
very good & getting better with age
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12/14/2011 - Santaliz wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed this developing light cab which hope to see annually for special occasions over the years. Tannic upfront but softening after an hour.
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12/9/2011 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
One of two bottles consumed. No specific notes other than all liked this one a lot. I thought this wine was better when first opened than later in the evening. I think the Spectator is more right than wrong this time for this highly rated, value priced bottle.
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12/4/2011 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 89 Points
Good, very young but with potential, already showing well. Comparable: Michael Pineda.
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11/27/2011 - vinomex wrote: 91 Points
Very good... great value (when it was available at $30) compared to the Reserve.
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11/20/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aerated and funnel decanted, left to air for 3 hrs. Consumed with a friend while watching the President's Cup Golf over 3 hrs. This wine is superb! A great effort and at a fantastic price point for a wine of this caliber!
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11/13/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
A sexy cuvee, to be sure. The kind of cab that would do well for a first date if one wants the evening to go, say, in a certain direction! You get the drift. Aromas of new oak, like cinnamon stick. Dark fruit, almost inky, that while is not all that complex, the flavors are true and it finishes with some chocolate. I liked the wine and I think for about 30 bucks and change at Costco, it works. Funny enough I think, kind of like the red version of Rombauer chardonnay!
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11/1/2011 - rjpwine wrote: 92 Points
Great value, will improve even further with age. Vanilla, cherry, some oak with typical tannins. A little tight on opening but evened out with some time, will decant next time. Drank over 3 hours (with wife) and improved throughout. Quite a mouthful and very nice. Very happy with this purchase.
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10/30/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Hennepin Lake's Annual Tasting (Tons of Napa Cabs) (Minneapolis, MN): This wine is on a role with a few good vintages in a row. Spice, cherry, tobacco and earth. Oak is present but adds to the overall experience.
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10/29/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. See previous notes. Even creamier than I remember, with menthol and eucalyptous shining. Balanced and evolving. This, along with the Hall Napa, are my favorite '08 Napa Cabernet wines under $50. Drink 2013 - 2026.
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10/26/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
consistent with previous notes, although this was a bit more muted on the nose. the stupid cork was ALREADY showing signs of seepage. still one of my standout favorites from the '08 vintage.
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10/22/2011 - AIB wrote: 91 Points
Tasty Tasty and lovely!!
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10/22/2011 - mxatwood wrote: 95 Points
Crazy good now - will continue to get better with age and decanting
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10/15/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 92 Points
See previous notes. Had after an 08 Spottswoode and was certainly enjoyable enough. Excellent value.
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10/14/2011 - Rendezvous wrote: 90 Points
Young wine that will get better. A bit harsh on open but settles down after hour or so plus decanting. Vanilla and fresh fruit are very evident. Also fairly strong oak - more than I'd like, made me think of smelling inside of a new oak barrel. Long finish and a beautiful wine at this price. More time will be a virtue here.
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10/7/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic fruit. Flavors of tobacco, oak and vanilla. Nice mouthfeel,long finish. Best bottle of this to date. Went suprisingly well with chicken dinner. Had after 2005 Rocca cab. I know which I'd rather drink again.
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10/4/2011 - fast eddie28 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Baby Caymus...So to speak. Extracted, syrup, astrigent, vanilla. Fits into the 08 Hall Cab catagory. If this does settle down, and can show some layers...Could be 94+ on its own merit. QPR value I would give it a 97. I can't find many $35 Napa Cabs that can offer this. Throw in a possible WS Top10 possible finish. However after having 7 bottles of this vintage thus far. Several are better than the others, all good. Some are very good....This style needs some refinement, 2-3 glasses can make you a jittery sugar high buzz. Not awesome with most food
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10/2/2011 - Pointchaser wrote: 93 Points
At first the tannins were a bit harsh and both the nose and palate were "glassy"- that is they were restrained as if separated by a glass pane. But with air over dinner, the palate intensified and the primary fruit shone through and the tannins settled down and the wine was beautiful with pan-fried ribeye. It is incredible that Mondavi offers such exquisite To Kalon cabernet fruit at this pricepoint.
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9/23/2011 - Porchino wrote: 89 Points
wine spectator said 94 are they nuts
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9/19/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 91 Points
15.5% ABV. More or less opaque in the glass. Similar to the 2007 vintage but a bit more primary and fruit forward at this point. Aromas of cedar and mocha on the nose. Medium full bodied with ripe black currant and fairly large-scaled Cab flavors. Some tannin midpalate on. Pretty good.
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9/19/2011 - twelch wrote: 93 Points
Wow this is a big brooding monster of a napa cab. If poured blind you'd probably guess this was a $100 cali cult cab of some sort. The nose had that gorgeous To Kalon nose of dark blue/black fruit, spice, vanilla that all flowed into a bruising mouthful of those flavors. The down fall for me is this wine really showed it's alcohol and it was almost too rich and extracted for me to drink even though I did and regreted it with the headache the next day.
If your looking for a lesser expensive option to fool some friends at a high end california tasting this is your wine. I think my palate is moving away from these type of brooding monsters. Rated 93 for the style but for my tastes this would barely crack a 90
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9/19/2011 - mbenz wrote: 91 Points
Didn't perform quite as well as the last bottle. Still a great QPR.
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9/19/2011 - Dasher wrote: 94 Points
Smooth, and fruit forward. Yummy!
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9/4/2011 - mbenz wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit. Very smooth palate, finish lasted for a good 30 seconds. We decanted and, overall this performed a bit better on its own than it did with food (grilled rack of lamb). Absolutely no complaints for a Napa Cab at this price point, though. Really good stuff!
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9/3/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 93 Points
See previous notes. Decanted for three hours. All the same nuances with black cherry, eucalyptus, loamy currant and some dark chocolate as well. An exquisite palate and a fair amount of muscle. Drink now till 2026 with a serious decant, if not, drink 2013 - 2026.
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8/27/2011 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Picked up a few of these and wanted to try one. Upon PnP, the nose was beautiful and pretty effusive, smelled like berries and cherries covered in vanilla cream sauce, very seductive. On the palate the initial attack was bombastic fruit (mostly red, cherries and raspberries), but the finish was very rough (astringent and tannic). Subsequently, decanted for ~45 minutes and drank over 2 hours. Toward the end (approaching 3 hours after opening), the finish was starting to smooth out, but still didn't get totally there. This wine has plenty of acidic and tannic structure to go along with plentiful fruit, and I suspect that it will substantially better in a few years. Will it get to a 94 (a la WS)? I doubt, but I think it might get close. Right now, I'm not seeing much in the way of interesting secondary characteristics, but if these emerge it will be great. As always, my score is based on how the wine drinks now, not how it is projected to be in the future. Bottom line: at ~$30, this is a very good QPR now for a Napa cab, and it has the potential to end up being a great QPR. Might pick up a few more to sit on. If you drink it now, give it at least a few hours of decanting.
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8/24/2011 - RobertDwyer wrote: 92 Points
A bold Napa Cab of great concentration and density that enters the room with a confident swagger. Complex aromas and flavors of rich blackberries, sweet spice, plums, and vanilla beans. A little overpowering at points (15.5% alcohol) but with adequate aeration this comes together nicely. Would like to check in again in a year but for now I'd be in for 1-3 bottles of this at a target price of $30-$33.
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8/24/2011 - nnybii wrote:
Wow! Fruity. Wonderful.
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8/21/2011 - dontime wrote: 93 Points
Open, poured and allowed to sit in the glass for 45 minutes before tasting. Drank over the course of 3 hours. Lots of good stuff going on here. Black fruit, cassis, tobacco and vanilla on the nose. Balanced black fruit, spice, mineral and tobacco on the palate with a very smooth and silky mouth feel. Initially, a bit of heat on the finish, but as time wore on that dissipated. Finish is long and satisfying with hints of chocolate and coffee. Gripping tannins indicate this will cellar well. I'm holding remaining bottles as well as looking for more!
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8/21/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sim notes. DYNAMITE!
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8/21/2011 - DTWOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful wine. This stood up to the 2009 Caymus Cab, 2008 Stags Leap Artemis, 2008 Regusci Cab and 2008 Buccella Cab at a friend's dinner party last night. Despite the 15.5 % heat, this wine was surprisingly ultra smooth and silky in the mouth! Nice deep, dark, dense garnet color with glass hugging viscosity,. Tons of dark fruit on the nose with a little heat.vanilla and spice. Black raspberry, cassis, currant flavors nicely unfold with grace, supported by velvet tannins, mild acidity and subdued heat on the palate. The finish lasts a mile... and here is where you notice the 15.5 % heat.... or is that spice? I was pleased to see that this young wine is ready to drink right now. Best after a couple hours of decanting, but very approachable upon opening.
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8/9/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 92 Points
Really benefits from air. Excellent now, will be great in a couple of years.
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8/6/2011 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. Violet, garnet and black, with a ruby rim. Black cherry, eucalyptus, spice, currant and loam. Dense and agile at the same time, with round and fleshy tannins, showing a long and caressing finish, ending with minerally touches. No heat at all and a true Napa hybrid: old in structure, with elegance and longevity - along with being new: voluptuous, ultra-rich and showy. The best Mondavi Oakville since '04. You must decant or wait a couple of years. Drink 2013 - 2026.
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7/31/2011 - nnybii wrote: 92 Points
a little tight to start but good mouth feel and nice berries.
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7/31/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pnp. one of the best young cabs i've had in quite some time. beautiful black fruit and secondary tobacco complexities already. amazing qpr!
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7/31/2011 - Dasher wrote: 92 Points
Great pop and pour. I have not been a Mondavi drinker in the past, but really have enjoyed thus wine.
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7/28/2011 - Dasher wrote: 94 Points
This is a solid bottle of Cab for the price!
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7/20/2011 - Dasher wrote: 93 Points
Very smooth wine. Has some high alcohol content, but once it opens up its good.
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7/17/2011 - AIB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at ofer's Very nice. Cherry vanilla. Ordered 12 more becaus eit was excellent.
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7/15/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 93 Points
This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Don Shapiro. It showed beautifully, with structure and flavors (independently recorded) comparable to those described 7/7/11. The aromatics were even more impressive, leading me to give it an even higher score. Bravo to Mondavi for taking up their game a notch or two on this bottling! Drink now-12/20.
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7/7/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 91 Points
This wine was decanted, aerated for two hours, then serially tasted over the ensuing two hours. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows a very intense bouquet of dried cranberries, currants, tobacco and clove. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, big ripe tannins and well-integrated alcohol (listed as 15.5%). The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is full. Medium-to-long, smooth finish. This is a luscious, fruit-forward Napa Cab with good structure. Drink now-12/20.
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7/3/2011 - LACERS wrote: 87 Points
This wine goes through a totally disjointed stage, probably due to the high 15.5% alcohol. If you got the patience to decant this Cab for 4+ hours then it is pretty good but we still liked the Hall 2008 and Honig 2008 Cab better which we had both along side of the Mondavi. There is a window of 30 minutes to about 3 hours after opening where the 15.5% alcohol is very evident where food pairing would be very difficult because the alcohol lights up to any spice on a Rib eye Steak. It is pretty good right after opening. The only thing I liked was the 08 was less tannic than previous vintages of the Mondavi Oakville.
Blackberry, cassis, smoke, chocolate on palate and nose, med-long finish.
I am quit surprised no one has criticized this wine for being so much higher in Alcohol than most other Cabs. If this wine makes top 10 in Spectator WOTY, Mondavi must of paid them off. The Hall 2008 is way better for $10 more...
90 right after opening
84 Decanted 1-3 hours
88 Decanted 4 hours
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6/19/2011 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
I've always liked Mondavi Oakville, and this is surely the best vintage I've tried. This is not quite as oakey as some of the previous vintages, which is a good thing.
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6/12/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 91 Points
Much better after two days in the decanter. Dark rich color, nose of tobacco band aid, and black cherry. Viscous mouthfeel, beautiful fruit, moderate length finish. Nice qpr. Suspect this will improve with some time as well.
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6/10/2011 - ptelgenh wrote: 93 Points
Dense blackberries and currant with firm tannins. Love it
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