Pretty remarkable how this has held up....and almost gotten younger lol. Plum, blue fruits, pencil lead, slight raisen and leather....perfectly integrated after 1 hour of air. Wish I had more.
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Had low expectations, but this wine is drinking very nicely. Big saddle and tobacco notes, but a reasonable amount of fruit still lingering. Went great with a ribeye. Decanted and drank over 2 hours, and held steady the whole time. No hurry to drink, but probably at its peak or just beyond.
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deep purple in color. blackberry, black currant, herb, plum, vanilla on the nose. blackberry, blueberry, nuts, cherry, earth, oak on the palate. medium acid, high tannins on a lingering finish.
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decanted for one hour. nose is effusive from the word go with rich cherry and blackberry fruits, just a hint of funk but not obtrusive. fruit carries forward on the palate with leather and mineral notes on the finish. so smooth, drinking amazingly well.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's balanced and has flavours of black pepper and black currant with a full body. Oily texture with a long finish - Exceptional nicely aged California Cabernet. A bit of barnyard in the nose, nice black fruit. Still some tannin that provides god mouthfeel. Very good wine, at or near it's peak.
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had this last about 5 yrs ago when it was a beautiful pure expressive wine with loads of smooth fruit. opened and decanted with no aeration. Wine has definitely evolved. It no longer is predominantly fruit driven, but now has alot of licorice and a bit of earth. Still very nicely made wine, just at a later stage of evolution. Tannins still present and this still could go another 5 yrs easy before any fading. Nice.
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Delicious but drink up. This from a magnum that needed no time to open up and that showed its trademark Pope Valley fruit as full and fleshy. A lascivious wine two years ago, it still has smooth mouthfeel and terrific balance, but not quite the edge of earlier bottles.
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Just amazing. Tastes like a 1989 right bank. Raisen, saddle leather, tobacco. Great integration and pure classic cab. This is an under-rated wine that always pleases.
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Flamboyant Cali cab, and one of my favorites every year. Cassis, cedar, and a distinctive spice cake aroma with clove and cinnamon, characteristic of my experience with this wine. Noticeable oak, but very well integrated with the copious fruit. Fat and lush, with sweet tannins which are beginning to resolve, but there's still plenty of backbone. Drinking beautifully now. A wonderful complement to steak au poivre. Alcohol 14%. $50 at the winery on release.
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7/31/2023 - wino121 wrote:
This old shoe is headed south, still palletable but certainly not in its glory here.
84 if you want a score.
Drink 5 years ago..
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7/3/2022 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
She’s a fading beauty …
Best to drink now before it goes south.
Still a masterpiece , elegant and supple.
Drink now .
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10/9/2021 - wino121 wrote: 94 Points
Spectacular, could be the wine of the year-
Yes that hedonisticaly good.
Drink now
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9/15/2020 - SparkyMI Likes this wine: 93 Points
My last, sadly.
Always surpises on the upsaide.
Great aged Cab. All.pieces, including the age, are in balance.
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7/8/2018 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty remarkable how this has held up....and almost gotten younger lol. Plum, blue fruits, pencil lead, slight raisen and leather....perfectly integrated after 1 hour of air. Wish I had more.
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5/27/2018 - dfcrutcher Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had low expectations, but this wine is drinking very nicely. Big saddle and tobacco notes, but a reasonable amount of fruit still lingering. Went great with a ribeye. Decanted and drank over 2 hours, and held steady the whole time. No hurry to drink, but probably at its peak or just beyond.
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5/21/2017 - wino121 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted, terrific, dink now.
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8/15/2016 - wino121 wrote: 92 Points
As good as it's going to get, fully integrated at this point.
Drink now.
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1/24/2013 - affordableCollector wrote: 90 Points
deep purple in color. blackberry, black currant, herb, plum, vanilla on the nose. blackberry, blueberry, nuts, cherry, earth, oak on the palate. medium acid, high tannins on a lingering finish.
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12/2/2012 - konadog wrote: 94 Points
decanted for one hour. nose is effusive from the word go with rich cherry and blackberry fruits, just a hint of funk but not obtrusive. fruit carries forward on the palate with leather and mineral notes on the finish. so smooth, drinking amazingly well.
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6/5/2012 - Tmurphrey wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's balanced and has flavours of black pepper and black currant with a full body. Oily texture with a long finish - Exceptional nicely aged California Cabernet. A bit of barnyard in the nose, nice black fruit. Still some tannin that provides god mouthfeel. Very good wine, at or near it's peak.
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3/18/2012 - cdmofwa wrote: 90 Points
surprisingly good despite the age
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5/5/2011 - bruinesq84 wrote: 92 Points
had this last about 5 yrs ago when it was a beautiful pure expressive wine with loads of smooth fruit. opened and decanted with no aeration. Wine has definitely evolved. It no longer is predominantly fruit driven, but now has alot of licorice and a bit of earth. Still very nicely made wine, just at a later stage of evolution. Tannins still present and this still could go another 5 yrs easy before any fading. Nice.
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5/10/2009 - boborr7 wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic. Beautifully integrated fruit and well balanced. Classic California Cab cedar undertones. Plenty of time left.
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4/22/2008 - AlanC wrote: 94 Points
There are only great bottles. Defying expectation by how delicious this wine continues to be. STILL firing on all cylinders. (From magnum).
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12/31/2006 - AlanC wrote: 92 Points
Delicious but drink up. This from a magnum that needed no time to open up and that showed its trademark Pope Valley fruit as full and fleshy. A lascivious wine two years ago, it still has smooth mouthfeel and terrific balance, but not quite the edge of earlier bottles.
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4/8/2006 - DesMarteau wrote: 94 Points
Just amazing. Tastes like a 1989 right bank. Raisen, saddle leather, tobacco. Great integration and pure classic cab. This is an under-rated wine that always pleases.
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1/28/2005 - RAD wrote: 94 Points
Flamboyant Cali cab, and one of my favorites every year. Cassis, cedar, and a distinctive spice cake aroma with clove and cinnamon, characteristic of my experience with this wine. Noticeable oak, but very well integrated with the copious fruit. Fat and lush, with sweet tannins which are beginning to resolve, but there's still plenty of backbone. Drinking beautifully now. A wonderful complement to steak au poivre. Alcohol 14%. $50 at the winery on release.
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9/13/2003 - brianofthevine wrote: 94 Points
Nice dusty earthy profile now along with the fruit from before.
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2/17/2001 - brianofthevine wrote: 94 Points
Very concentrated dark cherry and blackberry fruit with rich, creamy texture. Long finish, smooth tannins.
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