Opened at Restaurant, Slo-owed for about 30 minutes. Similar notes to previous bottle. Nice mature, soft mouthfeel Napa cab. Minimal bricking. Light sediment. Wonderful but with strained nose is dark, red fruits, earth and spice. Great wine on a zone and good with food and still has good structure. Wish we had more.
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Fully mature napa Bordeaux blend. Decanted for light sed. Cassis n dark fruit and savoryness on nose n palate. Resolved tannins w nice restrained dark fruits and chocolate on tongue. A joy to drink w family and friends!
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Brought to K&J's for BBQ. Consistent with previous notes, this was a really solid cab that is drinking very nicely now. Midweight and smooth. Not a lot of complexity, but well rounded and appealing. Was my last bottle. Could have lasted another year or two, but no reason not to drink up if you have these.
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Surprisingly dark and rich for 12 yrs old. Bramble fruits and ripe tannins up front with juicy acidity on finish. Drinking well now this might cellar several years more depending on your palate. Aromas of sweet herbs, mint mingle with cherry and ripe plums.
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Opaque in color. Nose reflects Cabernet Sauvignon leaning toward green olive on top of olallieberry. Aggressive approach with good fruit and still a lot of tannin. Nowhere near its peak, judging from the tannins. 14.5% alcohol.
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No detailed notes, but consistent with previous bottles. Very solid and ready to drink. Not complex or cerebral, but appealing for its good fruit and medium frame
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PnP: ruby slight bricking; tight nose at first; rich dark berry with cedar briar notes; sweet smooth tannins; improves in glass; drinking very nicely; fair amount of sediment so filter or decant.
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My last bottle, and better than the most recent one a few weeks ago. Textbook Napa Cabernet. Currants on the nose. Same on the palate, along with hints of tobacco, etc. Quite rich, with a very good finish. Solid and holding up quite well. Even so, it's probably time to drink up.
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Similar to one I had nine months ago, except it was even more muted. Minimal nose and an abrupt finish. Textbook Napa Cabernet flavors, with a decent body, but it's on a downhill slide. Drink up.
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Coravin taste, along side the '07 Mondavi Oakville cab. The Affinity had more fruit and more tannins. Fruit is starting to fade on the Mondavi, but it has substantially more complexity and secondaries. The Mondavi is drinking well now unless you like a lot of fruit, but needs to be drunk soon. The Affinity should have a drinking window that goes well beyond the 2019 end date here.
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Coravin taste, alongside the 2009 Waterstone cab. I thought the Waterstone was more ready than this. The Affinity has bigger fruit, but it is also noticeably more tannic. I suspect this will get better with a few more years, and I don't see the fruit as fading fast (unless you like big fruit). For my palate, there is plenty of fruit and I would give up a bit more fruit in exchange for smoothing out the rough edges and for a bit more complexity. This is certainly drinkable now, but I think the window goes well beyond 2019 if stored well. I would guess this is good out to 2022 or 2023.
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Pop and pour, with half the bottle reserved on nitrogen and consumed 3 days later. Soft bordeaux profile with typival aromas and non descript flavors; dry. Certainly drinkable but not particularly impressive. Has a recall, this was better a year or two back, I may just be passed it’s Pekin now. Didn’t survive well on nitrogen. Had one glass and tossed the balance.
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Delightful wine with our meal tonight of hamburger steak from Costco with a mixture of baked potatoes Brussel sprouts. A simply meal meal perked up with a good wine.
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This is in a great spot at the moment. Tannins are well integrated and the Cab and other grapes are all in harmony (something I sometimes find lacking in Affinity). This is my favorite of the ‘04-‘09 string of vintages. (More recent vintages are resting in the cellar.)
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Vanilla and spices on the nose, with minimal fruit. Cherries and currants on the palate. Medium body and a decent, fruit-driven finish. Very well balanced - probably at its peak right now. Pleasant but underwhelming. Not worth $45.
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Nose is non-descript, probably my stuffed nose. Dry tannins front-palate, ripe fruits with a hint of green on the finish. Still have another bottle; interested in retrying this in a year to gauge development.
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Let breathe in bottle for 30 minutes and then decanted for another 30 before starting consumption. Expressive nose of lavender and nutmeg. Ripe raspberry fruit on the palate. Some tannin still left to resolve. Still has several years of life left before a decline IMO.
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Deep, opaque indigo color. Mushroom, caramel and ripe berry on the nose. Sour cherry, cinnamon and baking spice on the palate. Started out with some astringency on the finish but softened the second day. Drinking well.
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Enjoyed this one more than my first bottle -- no sour funk this time. Smooth, dry with medium tannins more refined than your typical in-your-face Napa cab. Nice minerality here. Will be interesting to see where this one goes with more time.
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Deep reddish purple in color with a restrained nose of brambly red and blue fruits upon opening. This elegant wine is medium full-bodied with a taste profile of raspberries, cassis, dark plums, tobacco leaves, stones, with traces of dried pomelo rind, mineral, oak, and menthol. Perhaps another 3 to 5 years more cellar time will allow this wine to settle down a bit more and bring out its potentials.
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Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, smooth polished and sophisticated but approachable and enjoyable, tangy full forward bright vibrant black berry and black raspberry fruits with hints of black currant, tobacco, tea, baking spice a subtle layer of floral punctuated mocha and vanilla oak, turning to cedar on the finish of gripping yet smooth polished tannins on the lingering finish.
Drank this side by side with the 07 Affinity. Not sure what some others mentioned about this wine being on it's way down, I would say while it is tasty now it will benefit from a few more years in the cellar before it hits its peak drinking window and will improve with more age. Wine still had that youthful taste and dark violet color from the decanter pour. Cork was also holding up strong so I see no issue there as well. Feel free to hold for a couple more years. 92 now, 93-94 later. Drink with Ribeye/Filet.
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Always a staple from Robert Craig. This version is dark garnet in color with oak and mushroom on the nose. Plenty of blackberry and boysenberry on the palate and a hint of pepper befitting the Howell Mountain contribution to this blend of vineyards. A medium finish with plenty of tannin. Approachable now but will improve with age.
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I know that 2009 was a good year, but the wines from that year just don't seem to be holding up. This wine is drinkable, but it seems like it's on its way down and I know that it was a much bigger wine than what we drank tonight. Lesson learned!
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Ripe, rich, fruity, balanced and a bit soft and round. Red and dark fruits with some earth and spice. Medium to full bodied with a full, rich texture and round edges. Not special, but very solid.
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Enjoyed with 3 other friends at dinner and we all thought is was great even before it had a chance to decant. rich, full and dark ruby color. It continued to open up and the the tightness opened up to a nice big taste.
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Dark, seductive nose with warm spice, cedar and menthol. Full bodied and luxuriously textured, with a nice spine of acidity and tannin. Blue and black fruit, spice and chewy tannins round out the palate. Definitely opened up with air, and drinking well right now.
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Decent wine. Dark color and a nice nose of dark fruit and rocks. Palate is short and uninteresting really hoped for more, but it fell flat. Not sure what time will do to this
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W beef rib roast on Xmas eve. Had this after the gramercy cellars 2008 cab. This lost as it was much rougher than the GC and much more new world. But this is still very good. Needs indeed more time to round out.
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I didn't give the bottle it's due regard, having uncorked it to drink it immediately. Struck by its deep rich smooth texture with dark berries, dark chocolate and cigar box. Round and balanced with plenty of tannins. I will ascribe some of its shortcomings to my hasty tasting but I would think this would be super with proper decanting for a steak meal.
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Ripe, rich, fruity and balanced. Classic Napa Cab. Red and dark fruits with some earth and spice. Medium to full bodied with a full, rich texture and plenty of structure. This was a great steak wine. Fruity, but also with enough acidity and tannin to cut thru the steak fat.
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Full body red with enticing bouquet of ripe sweet plummy berries, notes of bell pepper, earth notes, rounded with some lactic tones. Palate is challenged with noticeable over-extraction, astringent tannins, and green metallic tones. Finish is dry with some bitters lacking length. This wine is overdone but quite pleasure to whiff. I would wait and hope the tannins go away.
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After having what I now think was simply an "off" bottle, I wanted to try another. Sure enough, this one was really nice. Appealing nose of dark fruits, earth and oak. Medium body with a lush, juicy mouthfeel and nice balance. Somehow soft and smooth, yet also with good structure. Rich, ripe flavors with good depth and complexity. It is more elegant than powerful and drinks more like a left bank bordeaux than a straight Napa cab. 91-92
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Agree with Rickspicks 7/5/13 comments. This had a harshness to it--drank at friends from one of his bottles. Hopefully this will smooth out with some time. We will try again in a year or so.
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Honestly I could not quite believe the Parker rating. I still didn't when I opened it. After 2 hours I did believe it. If you taste it in less than 30 minutes it may come across as a little too simple and fruit forward for all the hype. But there is a surprising amount of complexity lurking in this bottle. With air you will get spices, cedar and/or sandalwood, hints of leather, and abundant cherries, with a relatively full mouth feel and a moderate finish. Totally enjoyable. Before the air it seemed thinner and less complex. Yes, it's young, but don't fail to decant. Paid $37.99 in Dallas. It's going on my list of "best value" bottles, which includes Domaine Santa Duc "Cuvee Tradition" Gigondas and the Saint Cosmes Gigondas.
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Okay I ran this through a menu decanter (double decant) & then tried it & what a difference. Blackberry, blueberry, black currants & rounded out with vanilla & nutmeg. Big & bold black fruit up front & polished rounded tannins. Very nice & decent finish. Solid for the price.
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Similar to a prior bottle, but also with what I think I can best describe as a sour/metallic component. Improves with airtime, but never completely disappears. Somewhat harsh on the mid-palate and with a sharp/abrupt finish. Lots of positive attributes and lots to like, but also with an unpleasant element.
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Big nose of dark fruits - blackberry and cassis, along with oak and earth. Medium bodied with deep, rich fruit flavors that match the nose, along with some spice and earth. The flavors are somewhat bordeaux-like as there is clearly some merlot, cab franc and/or petite verdot in the mix. Good concentration with a smooth, creamy texture and nice balance. Medium plus, fruity finish with a nice touch of acidity. Drinking well now - and I will probably drink up over the next 3-5 years as I believe it lacks the structure to last much longer than that. Good, solid cabernet blend.
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Fruit driven but too fruit fwd. Cherry pie with blackberry and cassis. A touch of oak but it could have used a bit more earth and oak to balance it out. Rounded tannins and modest finish. I can't see this cellaring long term but something that can be decanted and enjoyed. This would pair nicely with beef carpaccio or even a nice pasta. Okay but not phenomenal.
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W flank steak in Boca. Very good combo. Yummy on the nose, great dark color. On palate good deep cab with fruit and some spice and vanilla. Tannins arebok but believe this deserves some more rounding out as it will get better!!!
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Solid wine as Robert Craig always is. Not as good as the 07 or 08, probably won't last as long as those either. Drinking well right now and needed little to no time to open up. Nice straight out of the bottle.
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We opened for this evenings live video stream. Poured through a venturi, but did not let it sit for very long. The beauty and aroma of this wine filled the air right away, and so smooth drinking. Cheers!
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Opened and let it sit in the bottle for about an hour before drinking. Nose was wonderful and filled up the kitchen once poured in the glass, dark fruit, spice, smoke. Taste was complex and delicious, dark fruit and spicebox transitioned nicely to smoke and chocolate flavor, then to a enjoyable tart finish that lasted for about 15 seconds or more. Body was medium-full and had a very plush mouth-feel. This is some great juice, one of my favorite wines that I have had in the past year. I found the 2007 to have been a bit better overall as the 2009 is a bit more tart (but not in a bad way), but I think this just suggests it has a decent life in the cellar ahead of it and filled with improvements. While it will improve in time, it is also drinking well right now with some air time. I will be going back for a case of this. 93-94pts
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I opened this with friends on 2/10/13. It had a supple, complex and harmonious bouquet of blueberry, vanilla, cassis, smoke, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was smooth, rich and beautifully integrated with flavors of blueberry, black currant, vanilla, licorice, cocoa and spice. 91+
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Pop and pour and this beauty was rockin'. Although their blend wine I really got the Howell mountain fruit out of this. Great earthy tones and fruit. A real crowd pleaser. This will drink well for 10+ years for sure.
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Decanted and consumed over the course of 3 hours. I think I had a different wine than most other reviewers. This poured inky black with a restrained nose of tight black fruit, creosote, tobacco, plum and a hint of eucalyptus. Under ripe dark fruit, charcoal, crushed stone adn smoke on the palate. This smells like its in a dumb phase, and tastes like its still trying to come on its own. I'll give this several more years before retrying.
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Opened up and improved greatly after about an hour decant. Plum and tobacco once with a plush mouthfeel. Finish still is a little short indicating some cellaring is warranted to blow off the alcohol and integrate the tannins. But still it is drinking well now and should improve over next 5 years
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Wow, now this is an underrated wine from the reviews. First, this is remarkably tastier and more complex than the 08. Nose immediately reminds me of the 08 Lewis Reserve Cab. Ripe cassis, charcoal, medicinal notes, and coffee. Midpalate is nicely weighted and mouthcoating. Finish is really complex with dark chocolate, coffee, medicinal nuances, cassis and vanilla. This is one of the best $50 cabs in napa right now. Highly recommended!
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Popped and let breathe in glass for an hour, and threw the rest in a decanter. After a few hours of air time, blueberry/raspberry on the nose with some chocolate. On the palate, mostly blackberry with some mocha, chocolate and coffee with a nice finish. Needs some time, but approachable now with a long decant. Drank over 5 hours and was still going strong.
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2/28/2024 - capacious Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink up, beginning to become a little disorganized.
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7/23/2023 - pmcellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent! Wonderful nose, smooth tannins, great finish. This is superb blend. The price point makes it even more enjoyable.
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6/29/2023 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened at Restaurant, Slo-owed for about 30 minutes. Similar notes to previous bottle. Nice mature, soft mouthfeel Napa cab.
Minimal bricking. Light sediment. Wonderful but with strained nose is dark, red fruits, earth and spice. Great wine on a zone and good with food and still has good structure. Wish we had more.
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4/29/2023 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fully mature napa Bordeaux blend. Decanted for light sed. Cassis n dark fruit and savoryness on nose n palate. Resolved tannins w nice restrained dark fruits and chocolate on tongue. A joy to drink w family and friends!
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1/7/2023 - nicholasagonzales Likes this wine: 93 Points
Extremely drinkable. Drinks above its weight. Dark fruit. Well rounded. Actually paired with salmon and it worked well.
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7/25/2022 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brought to K&J's for BBQ. Consistent with previous notes, this was a really solid cab that is drinking very nicely now. Midweight and smooth. Not a lot of complexity, but well rounded and appealing. Was my last bottle. Could have lasted another year or two, but no reason not to drink up if you have these.
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4/17/2021 - Janstan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruit. Went very well with chargrilled tenderloin
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3/22/2021 - @sebastienwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly dark and rich for 12 yrs old. Bramble fruits and ripe tannins up front with juicy acidity on finish. Drinking well now this might cellar several years more depending on your palate. Aromas of sweet herbs, mint mingle with cherry and ripe plums.
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11/13/2020 - oakville72 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opaque in color. Nose reflects Cabernet Sauvignon leaning toward green olive on top of olallieberry. Aggressive approach with good fruit and still a lot of tannin. Nowhere near its peak, judging from the tannins. 14.5% alcohol.
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10/6/2020 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
No detailed notes, but consistent with previous bottles. Very solid and ready to drink. Not complex or cerebral, but appealing for its good fruit and medium frame
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5/12/2020 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Very tasty dark fruit, spice and pepper, medium bodied, elegant and smooth. Drinking very well right now.
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11/6/2019 - rickfell-new Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still drinking well
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10/20/2019 - Italiana Likes this wine:
Drinking very well--soft, silky, fruity. Nice.
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9/13/2019 - dafmd Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP: ruby slight bricking; tight nose at first; rich dark berry with cedar briar notes; sweet smooth tannins; improves in glass; drinking very nicely; fair amount of sediment so filter or decant.
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2/27/2019 - Vinofitz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good value; well balanced fruit and tannin, easy finish, great for a variety of meat and cheeses dishes.
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11/9/2018 - Night Train Likes this wine: 89 Points
My last bottle, and better than the most recent one a few weeks ago. Textbook Napa Cabernet. Currants on the nose. Same on the palate, along with hints of tobacco, etc. Quite rich, with a very good finish. Solid and holding up quite well. Even so, it's probably time to drink up.
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9/15/2018 - Night Train Likes this wine: 86 Points
Similar to one I had nine months ago, except it was even more muted. Minimal nose and an abrupt finish. Textbook Napa Cabernet flavors, with a decent body, but it's on a downhill slide. Drink up.
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6/9/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravin taste, along side the '07 Mondavi Oakville cab. The Affinity had more fruit and more tannins. Fruit is starting to fade on the Mondavi, but it has substantially more complexity and secondaries. The Mondavi is drinking well now unless you like a lot of fruit, but needs to be drunk soon. The Affinity should have a drinking window that goes well beyond the 2019 end date here.
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3/17/2018 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coravin taste, alongside the 2009 Waterstone cab. I thought the Waterstone was more ready than this. The Affinity has bigger fruit, but it is also noticeably more tannic. I suspect this will get better with a few more years, and I don't see the fruit as fading fast (unless you like big fruit). For my palate, there is plenty of fruit and I would give up a bit more fruit in exchange for smoothing out the rough edges and for a bit more complexity. This is certainly drinkable now, but I think the window goes well beyond 2019 if stored well. I would guess this is good out to 2022 or 2023.
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2/7/2018 - davidandrose wrote: 86 Points
Pop and pour, with half the bottle reserved on nitrogen and consumed 3 days later. Soft bordeaux profile with typival aromas and non descript flavors; dry. Certainly drinkable but not particularly impressive. Has a recall, this was better a year or two back, I may just be passed it’s Pekin now. Didn’t survive well on nitrogen. Had one glass and tossed the balance.
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1/23/2018 - ahwt wrote: 92 Points
Delightful wine with our meal tonight of hamburger steak from Costco with a mixture of baked potatoes Brussel sprouts. A simply meal meal perked up with a good wine.
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1/13/2018 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
This is in a great spot at the moment. Tannins are well integrated and the Cab and other grapes are all in harmony (something I sometimes find lacking in Affinity). This is my favorite of the ‘04-‘09 string of vintages. (More recent vintages are resting in the cellar.)
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12/17/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 88 Points
Vanilla and spices on the nose, with minimal fruit. Cherries and currants on the palate. Medium body and a decent, fruit-driven finish. Very well balanced - probably at its peak right now. Pleasant but underwhelming. Not worth $45.
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10/7/2017 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great color, still quite vibrant with fruit coming through and solid tannin backbone. Served with grilled steaks. Drink up - it's ready
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2/19/2017 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Nose is non-descript, probably my stuffed nose. Dry tannins front-palate, ripe fruits with a hint of green on the finish. Still have another bottle; interested in retrying this in a year to gauge development.
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10/30/2016 - flwinos wrote: 92 Points
Notes consistent with previous review.
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7/2/2016 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
See May 16 notes. Still nicely balanced and drinking well. Indigo color. Bright fruit and baking spice son the palate.
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6/25/2016 - flwinos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Let breathe in bottle for 30 minutes and then decanted for another 30 before starting consumption. Expressive nose of lavender and nutmeg. Ripe raspberry fruit on the palate. Some tannin still left to resolve. Still has several years of life left before a decline IMO.
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5/8/2016 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep, opaque indigo color. Mushroom, caramel and ripe berry on the nose. Sour cherry, cinnamon and baking spice on the palate. Started out with some astringency on the finish but softened the second day. Drinking well.
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2/15/2016 - Kopperl wrote: 90 Points
Better the second day
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2/6/2016 - t0pshelf Likes this wine:
Enjoyed this one more than my first bottle -- no sour funk this time. Smooth, dry with medium tannins more refined than your typical in-your-face Napa cab. Nice minerality here. Will be interesting to see where this one goes with more time.
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12/19/2015 - Praxis wrote: 90 Points
Deep reddish purple in color with a restrained nose of brambly red and blue fruits upon opening. This elegant wine is medium full-bodied with a taste profile of raspberries, cassis, dark plums, tobacco leaves, stones, with traces of dried pomelo rind, mineral, oak, and menthol. Perhaps another 3 to 5 years more cellar time will allow this wine to settle down a bit more and bring out its potentials.
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11/1/2015 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, smooth polished and sophisticated but approachable and enjoyable, tangy full forward bright vibrant black berry and black raspberry fruits with hints of black currant, tobacco, tea, baking spice a subtle layer of floral punctuated mocha and vanilla oak, turning to cedar on the finish of gripping yet smooth polished tannins on the lingering finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/11/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.html
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10/4/2015 - JLuch1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank this side by side with the 07 Affinity. Not sure what some others mentioned about this wine being on it's way down, I would say while it is tasty now it will benefit from a few more years in the cellar before it hits its peak drinking window and will improve with more age. Wine still had that youthful taste and dark violet color from the decanter pour. Cork was also holding up strong so I see no issue there as well. Feel free to hold for a couple more years. 92 now, 93-94 later. Drink with Ribeye/Filet.
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7/11/2015 - Bluethunder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at the Hollywood Bowl. Lush red fruit, spice, rose petals, medium finish and well balanced. Perfect wine for an evening at the Bowl.
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7/4/2015 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always a staple from Robert Craig. This version is dark garnet in color with oak and mushroom on the nose. Plenty of blackberry and boysenberry on the palate and a hint of pepper befitting the Howell Mountain contribution to this blend of vineyards. A medium finish with plenty of tannin. Approachable now but will improve with age.
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5/4/2015 - MatLot Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super
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4/3/2015 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
At steak dinner. Best wine in line up. Very elegant, not big. Will smoothen some more with 2 or 3 yrs extra. Good with steak
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3/29/2015 - ManningCellar wrote: 88 Points
I know that 2009 was a good year, but the wines from that year just don't seem to be holding up. This wine is drinkable, but it seems like it's on its way down and I know that it was a much bigger wine than what we drank tonight. Lesson learned!
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1/24/2015 - prufrocksabogado Likes this wine: 91 Points
perfect drinking window. tasty albeit not complex. solid for the price
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1/7/2015 - TimG wrote:
gave to mike and muffy
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11/27/2014 - msuazo9 wrote: 92 Points
great timing. velvet, smooth, rich and bold taste. enjoyed.
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11/26/2014 - Bluethunder wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit, soft subtle tannins, with medium finish.
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11/24/2014 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 89 Points
very soft, very fruity, dark fruits, soft, medium finish with some spice. Nice wine
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11/22/2014 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Ripe, rich, fruity, balanced and a bit soft and round. Red and dark fruits with some earth and spice. Medium to full bodied with a full, rich texture and round edges. Not special, but very solid.
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10/19/2014 - cawineaux wrote: 91 Points
Very approachable. Easy drinking with great depth. Cherry, spice, and milk chocolate. Medium finish.
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8/15/2014 - smileBD Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed with 3 other friends at dinner and we all thought is was great even before it had a chance to decant. rich, full and dark ruby color. It continued to open up and the the tightness opened up to a nice big taste.
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7/25/2014 - dpolivy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, seductive nose with warm spice, cedar and menthol. Full bodied and luxuriously textured, with a nice spine of acidity and tannin. Blue and black fruit, spice and chewy tannins round out the palate. Definitely opened up with air, and drinking well right now.
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7/11/2014 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Subtle and smooth. Hints of tobacco over a firm currant and cherry base. Finishes long with a bit of spice.
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5/24/2014 - t0pshelf wrote:
A little sour funk on the nose, better the second day. Not a bad wine, but not really doing all that much for me. Hopefully next bottle is better.
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5/9/2014 - Spyder14 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Improved with time (1.5 hours); dry with great color & balance
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3/27/2014 - Mad Dane wrote: 91 Points
Great red blend. Enjoyed with pork loin.
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3/5/2014 - JackieTreehorn wrote: 88 Points
Decent wine. Dark color and a nice nose of dark fruit and rocks. Palate is short and uninteresting really hoped for more, but it fell flat. Not sure what time will do to this
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12/28/2013 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
W beef rib roast on Xmas eve. Had this after the gramercy cellars 2008 cab. This lost as it was much rougher than the GC and much more new world. But this is still very good. Needs indeed more time to round out.
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12/26/2013 - MH Amateur wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Had with prime rib on Xmas. Deep garnet color. Well integrated tannins. Good jammy fruit.
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11/17/2013 - rrmcnees Likes this wine: 91 Points
dark inky color. nose of cherry, oak and vanilla. medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. very elegant wine... bordeaux-ish.
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11/16/2013 - jsjoe wrote: 92 Points
I didn't give the bottle it's due regard, having uncorked it to drink it immediately. Struck by its deep rich smooth texture with dark berries, dark chocolate and cigar box. Round and balanced with plenty of tannins. I will ascribe some of its shortcomings to my hasty tasting but I would think this would be super with proper decanting for a steak meal.
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10/13/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Ripe, rich, fruity and balanced. Classic Napa Cab. Red and dark fruits with some earth and spice. Medium to full bodied with a full, rich texture and plenty of structure. This was a great steak wine. Fruity, but also with enough acidity and tannin to cut thru the steak fat.
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10/7/2013 - farinas wrote: 88 Points
Full body red with enticing bouquet of ripe sweet plummy berries, notes of bell pepper, earth notes, rounded with some lactic tones. Palate is challenged with noticeable over-extraction, astringent tannins, and green metallic tones. Finish is dry with some bitters lacking length. This wine is overdone but quite pleasure to whiff. I would wait and hope the tannins go away.
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10/1/2013 - jeffm_fla wrote: 86 Points
Not really offensive, but I thought I would like this more. A little thin and flavors were a muted and off from what I expected.
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9/28/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
After having what I now think was simply an "off" bottle, I wanted to try another. Sure enough, this one was really nice. Appealing nose of dark fruits, earth and oak. Medium body with a lush, juicy mouthfeel and nice balance. Somehow soft and smooth, yet also with good structure. Rich, ripe flavors with good depth and complexity. It is more elegant than powerful and drinks more like a left bank bordeaux than a straight Napa cab. 91-92
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9/11/2013 - JLuch1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes, fantastic wine in general and for the money. Best QPR I have come across.
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8/7/2013 - gew71walsh wrote: 86 Points
Agree with Rickspicks 7/5/13 comments. This had a harshness to it--drank at friends from one of his bottles. Hopefully this will smooth out with some time. We will try again in a year or so.
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8/5/2013 - edwilley3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Honestly I could not quite believe the Parker rating. I still didn't when I opened it. After 2 hours I did believe it. If you taste it in less than 30 minutes it may come across as a little too simple and fruit forward for all the hype. But there is a surprising amount of complexity lurking in this bottle. With air you will get spices, cedar and/or sandalwood, hints of leather, and abundant cherries, with a relatively full mouth feel and a moderate finish. Totally enjoyable. Before the air it seemed thinner and less complex. Yes, it's young, but don't fail to decant. Paid $37.99 in Dallas. It's going on my list of "best value" bottles, which includes Domaine Santa Duc "Cuvee Tradition" Gigondas and the Saint Cosmes Gigondas.
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7/19/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 90 Points
Okay I ran this through a menu decanter (double decant) & then tried it & what a difference. Blackberry, blueberry, black currants & rounded out with vanilla & nutmeg. Big & bold black fruit up front & polished rounded tannins. Very nice & decent finish. Solid for the price.
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7/5/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Similar to a prior bottle, but also with what I think I can best describe as a sour/metallic component. Improves with airtime, but never completely disappears. Somewhat harsh on the mid-palate and with a sharp/abrupt finish. Lots of positive attributes and lots to like, but also with an unpleasant element.
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6/3/2013 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Big nose of dark fruits - blackberry and cassis, along with oak and earth. Medium bodied with deep, rich fruit flavors that match the nose, along with some spice and earth. The flavors are somewhat bordeaux-like as there is clearly some merlot, cab franc and/or petite verdot in the mix. Good concentration with a smooth, creamy texture and nice balance. Medium plus, fruity finish with a nice touch of acidity. Drinking well now - and I will probably drink up over the next 3-5 years as I believe it lacks the structure to last much longer than that. Good, solid cabernet blend.
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5/19/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 87 Points
Fruit driven but too fruit fwd. Cherry pie with blackberry and cassis. A touch of oak but it could have used a bit more earth and oak to balance it out. Rounded tannins and modest finish. I can't see this cellaring long term but something that can be decanted and enjoyed. This would pair nicely with beef carpaccio or even a nice pasta. Okay but not phenomenal.
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4/2/2013 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
W flank steak in Boca. Very good combo. Yummy on the nose, great dark color. On palate good deep cab with fruit and some spice and vanilla. Tannins arebok but believe this deserves some more rounding out as it will get better!!!
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3/26/2013 - texag96 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid wine as Robert Craig always is. Not as good as the 07 or 08, probably won't last as long as those either. Drinking well right now and needed little to no time to open up. Nice straight out of the bottle.
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2/21/2013 - flydcjets Likes this wine: 95 Points
We opened for this evenings live video stream. Poured through a venturi, but did not let it sit for very long. The beauty and aroma of this wine filled the air right away, and so smooth drinking.
Cheers!
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2/11/2013 - JLuch1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and let it sit in the bottle for about an hour before drinking. Nose was wonderful and filled up the kitchen once poured in the glass, dark fruit, spice, smoke. Taste was complex and delicious, dark fruit and spicebox transitioned nicely to smoke and chocolate flavor, then to a enjoyable tart finish that lasted for about 15 seconds or more. Body was medium-full and had a very plush mouth-feel. This is some great juice, one of my favorite wines that I have had in the past year. I found the 2007 to have been a bit better overall as the 2009 is a bit more tart (but not in a bad way), but I think this just suggests it has a decent life in the cellar ahead of it and filled with improvements. While it will improve in time, it is also drinking well right now with some air time. I will be going back for a case of this. 93-94pts
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2/10/2013 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
I opened this with friends on 2/10/13. It had a supple, complex and harmonious bouquet of blueberry, vanilla, cassis, smoke, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was smooth, rich and beautifully integrated with flavors of blueberry, black currant, vanilla, licorice, cocoa and spice. 91+
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1/13/2013 - Griffeyfan04 wrote: 94 Points
Pop and pour and this beauty was rockin'. Although their blend wine I really got the Howell mountain fruit out of this. Great earthy tones and fruit. A real crowd pleaser. This will drink well for 10+ years for sure.
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1/12/2013 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 92 Points
86% Cab, 6 Petite Verdot, 5 Merlot, 2 Malbec, 1 Cab Franc. French-like nose; berries, mint, wood, earth, flowers; mid-body; balanced style; hints of oak on the finish. Food friendly.
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12/28/2012 - theoz wrote: 93 Points
Killer cab, lots of great earth and spice, tobacco, rich and hearty
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12/2/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 88 Points
Decanted and consumed over the course of 3 hours. I think I had a different wine than most other reviewers. This poured inky black with a restrained nose of tight black fruit, creosote, tobacco, plum and a hint of eucalyptus. Under ripe dark fruit, charcoal, crushed stone adn smoke on the palate. This smells like its in a dumb phase, and tastes like its still trying to come on its own. I'll give this several more years before retrying.
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11/22/2012 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 92 Points
Opened up and improved greatly after about an hour decant. Plum and tobacco once with a plush mouthfeel. Finish still is a little short indicating some cellaring is warranted to blow off the alcohol and integrate the tannins. But still it is drinking well now and should improve over next 5 years
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11/17/2012 - Gestalted Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, now this is an underrated wine from the reviews. First, this is remarkably tastier and more complex than the 08. Nose immediately reminds me of the 08 Lewis Reserve Cab. Ripe cassis, charcoal, medicinal notes, and coffee. Midpalate is nicely weighted and mouthcoating. Finish is really complex with dark chocolate, coffee, medicinal nuances, cassis and vanilla. This is one of the best $50 cabs in napa right now. Highly recommended!
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Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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10/28/2012 - ATIVA wrote: 91 Points
Big fruit, with earth and smokey notes; still very young. Best about two hours after opening.
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10/27/2012 - flwinos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and let breathe in glass for an hour, and threw the rest in a decanter. After a few hours of air time, blueberry/raspberry on the nose with some chocolate. On the palate, mostly blackberry with some mocha, chocolate and coffee with a nice finish. Needs some time, but approachable now with a long decant. Drank over 5 hours and was still going strong.
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8/23/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Smokier are oakier on the nose then the Smith Madrone.
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5/8/2012 - Beep wrote: 92 Points
Very dark purple color. Rich nose. Rich cassis on the palate. Needs time to open but quite good now. Big tannins. I may save the other 6.
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2/21/2012 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and drank over a couple hours. Big, bold and young. Velvety, plush and quite tasty even at this age.
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1/29/2012 - Lee Fining wrote: 89 Points
Smokey, tannic, with quality fruit. Best is yet to come.
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