Fading with dignity but still outstanding elegant wine with nice core of tannins and accidity however fruits are less present that a few years ago. Anyway hard to belive that 25 years after harvest this wine still delivers so much pleasure.
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Hard to belive but after 25 years wine is still alive and seductive. Drank over 2 days and on second day it is even better! Tannins are just like a silk, very good cencentration and exotic red fruts emmerge. Pure bliss.
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Now quite soft, though some structure and acidity. Slightly stewed red fruit. Lots of pleasing tertiary leather, cedar and mulled spices. Long and complex. Drink up.
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Color is almost black, saturated but shows a liittle brown edge. Fantastic nose of cherries, red currants, cranberries, leather and tar almost Pomorel profile but without earth notes. Palate is still generous with cashmere texture , sweetness of red fruits, hidden 14,2% of alcohol and still a lot of tannins but not the same level of concentration and balance ( lacks higher acidity) as in previous prodigous bottles. Neverless outstanding fully mature wine that delivers a lot of pleasure and shows greatness of 1997 in Napa region
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Another bottle, this time from diffrent source than bottle drank in previous year but exactly the same fabulous quality. This is so great after 22 years! Waves of sweet dark and red fruits in smell, balance with noticable tannins, excellenet acidity, concentration and depth, dry long aftertaste. Sexy style but still intelectual wine. What more one can expect from great Napa vintage merlot? Amazing experience
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Color almost black which suggests massive concentration. Fascinating provocative and complex nose of creme de cassis, plums, black cherries, graphite and earth. This prodigious wine features Cashmere like tannins, higher acidity, fantastic concentration and multilayered personality. Opulent with no sign of tired or downside, still kicking and alive!! I have no idea how Newton made so special Merlots in 1991 and 1997 which after 20+ years are still alive and briliant but this must have been pure magic in winemaking. This wine was opened to celebrate 100 years of regaing Independence by Poland in 1918 and was as special as this anniversary.
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My last bottle was clearly flawed, this is drinking very well. An hour of decanting really helps open this up. Dark sour cherry fruit, present oak and a warm red fruit finish. Acidity was noticeably low, but the wine still worked. Medium length finish. This is not heavy nor extracted, but has a good balance. I suspect it will age well for a few more years, but I like the fruit concentration where it is right now.
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My first tasting of the 97, and I’m not sure what to make of it. I suspect a flawed bottle. I thought it was corked at first, but it was not. Still an overall damp character to the nose. Will try another bottle.
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This gets better each time I have it. Dark ruby with a slightly paling rim. Explosive nose of black currants, bittersweet chocolate, blueberries and forest floor, all framed by some sweet oak. Super rich on the palate, but balanced and focused.. birttersweet chocolate again, with black fruits, cloves and a pleasing earthiness. Ripe tannins are still in presense, lending a sense of structure. While this is low in acidity, it feels balanced and never heavy or clumsy. Finishes with forest floor and blackcurrant fruits, which linger a long time.
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Very dark, dense ruby color. Very intense aromas of mulberries, cassis, currants-- some "hot" notes at first blew off after and hour, and the nose mellowed and became more complex with air. On the palate: very intense, blueberries, mulberries, jammy, a touch of leather, but very well balanced for such a "jammy" wine. Medium to full bodied, this wine got silkier with air. Long blueberry finish with plenty of tannins. This wine will age awhile, due to it's intensity and balance. Delicious stuff.
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2/14/2024 - mrsdahlke Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just amazing! About 30m and this wine opened up and drank so well. Hope my dad has more!
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8/6/2023 - Joealex Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fading with dignity but still outstanding elegant wine with nice core of tannins and accidity however fruits are less present that a few years ago. Anyway hard to belive that 25 years after harvest this wine still delivers so much pleasure.
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4/10/2023 - Joealex Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hard to belive but after 25 years wine is still alive and seductive. Drank over 2 days and on second day it is even better! Tannins are just like a silk, very good cencentration and exotic red fruts emmerge. Pure bliss.
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12/28/2022 - Philip67 wrote: 92 Points
Now quite soft, though some structure and acidity. Slightly stewed red fruit. Lots of pleasing tertiary leather, cedar and mulled spices. Long and complex. Drink up.
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1/23/2021 - Joealex Likes this wine: 93 Points
My previous comment apllies
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9/6/2020 - Joealex Likes this wine: 93 Points
Color is almost black, saturated but shows a liittle brown edge. Fantastic nose of cherries, red currants, cranberries, leather and tar almost Pomorel profile but without earth notes.
Palate is still generous with cashmere texture , sweetness of red fruits, hidden 14,2% of alcohol and still a lot of tannins but not the same level of concentration and balance ( lacks higher acidity) as in previous prodigous bottles. Neverless outstanding fully mature wine that delivers a lot of pleasure and shows greatness of 1997 in Napa region
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9/15/2019 - Joealex Likes this wine: 96 Points
Another bottle, this time from diffrent source than bottle drank in previous year but exactly the same fabulous quality. This is so great after 22 years! Waves of sweet dark and red fruits in smell, balance with noticable tannins, excellenet acidity, concentration and depth, dry long aftertaste. Sexy style but still intelectual wine. What more one can expect from great Napa vintage merlot? Amazing experience
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11/11/2018 - Joealex Likes this wine: 96 Points
Color almost black which suggests massive concentration.
Fascinating provocative and complex nose of creme de cassis, plums, black cherries, graphite and earth.
This prodigious wine features Cashmere like tannins, higher acidity, fantastic concentration and multilayered personality. Opulent with no sign of tired or downside, still kicking and alive!! I have no idea how Newton made so special Merlots in 1991 and 1997 which after 20+ years are still alive and briliant but this must have been pure magic in winemaking.
This wine was opened to celebrate 100 years of regaing Independence by Poland in 1918 and was as special as this anniversary.
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8/24/2007 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
My last bottle was clearly flawed, this is drinking very well. An hour of decanting really helps open this up. Dark sour cherry fruit, present oak and a warm red fruit finish. Acidity was noticeably low, but the wine still worked. Medium length finish. This is not heavy nor extracted, but has a good balance. I suspect it will age well for a few more years, but I like the fruit concentration where it is right now.
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10/27/2006 - Mark wrote:
My first tasting of the 97, and I’m not sure what to make of it. I suspect a flawed bottle. I thought it was corked at first, but it was not. Still an overall damp character to the nose. Will try another bottle.
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3/22/2006 - PBaird wrote: 91 Points
This gets better each time I have it. Dark ruby with a slightly paling rim. Explosive nose of black currants, bittersweet chocolate, blueberries and forest floor, all framed by some sweet oak. Super rich on the palate, but balanced and focused.. birttersweet chocolate again, with black fruits, cloves and a pleasing earthiness. Ripe tannins are still in presense, lending a sense of structure. While this is low in acidity, it feels balanced and never heavy or clumsy. Finishes with forest floor and blackcurrant fruits, which linger a long time.
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1/21/2005 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Cafe latte nose; tasty, coffee, vanilla, black fruit palate; medium finish 90+ pts.
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7/8/2004 - PBaird wrote: 90 Points
Very dark, dense ruby color. Very intense aromas of mulberries, cassis, currants-- some "hot" notes at first blew off after and hour, and the nose mellowed and became more complex with air. On the palate: very intense, blueberries, mulberries, jammy, a touch of leather, but very well balanced for such a "jammy" wine. Medium to full bodied, this wine got silkier with air. Long blueberry finish with plenty of tannins. This wine will age awhile, due to it's intensity and balance. Delicious stuff.
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