4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Blind. Aromas of green tobacco, red berry fruit and leather. Fully-integrated. Flavors of chocolate and dark plummy fruit. Opens further as it sits, adding cherry, herb and cedar qualities, and the fruit fleshes out on the palate. Finishes with good length. Just a lovely mature wine. I suspected this was our CSJ, opened in honor of a last minute attendee born in 2002.
This too had been gently double decanted off its sediment and placed back under cork 2.25 hours before the flight was poured. A beautiful showing from our penultimate bottle.
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In my cellar since 2007, probably a couple years after release and purchased from WTSO. Back in the day this got relatively low scores because it did not follow the fashion then in its height toward super ripe, heavily extracted, high ABV Cabs. This was delightfully “old-school”. I double decanted around 3pm to take to a friend’s house to have dinner around 7:30pm. Totally fresh, with no bricking whatsoever. Tannins fully integrated but still has some vibrant acidity. Wonderfully smooth texture. Fruit leans to the red berry spectrum with some earthy and leathery accents. Strong mineral sensation in the background. Nice balance. It was a little less evolved than I would have hoped. The secondary flavors were reticent and there were no notable tertiary accents. Still surprisingly primary. It was just a step or two behind in complexity. This may still get there so, no real hurry to drink these if stored in a cool cellar.
It has been 10 years since I opened my last 2002 - this was great. Soft as you might expect from a 21 year old wine, but enough tannin backbone around to make this an exceptional choice for a birthday wine. Yum!
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This opens up with a nose reminiscent of a St. JULIEN. A dark, warm and sappy nose of black currant, black cherry and tar. There’s a calm and roundness here that screams ‘drink me’. Showing a smooth, complete mouthfeel without excessive complexity or drive. Simply delicious with a flank steak, but it won’t get better. Enjoy now!
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Opened, but not decanted for over an hour in a restaurant. My final bottle and my previous ones predate my being on Celllartracker, so I have no notes to compare it to. This tasted like it still had years of life ahead of it. It had a medium-long finish, and tasted more like a 10 year old Bordeaux than a Napa Cab.
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Last bottle from a batch bought close to release. At home w some casual fare, this is another "forgotten bottle" resting nicely in the cellar....PnP, drank over several hours.
Core is still purple/ruby with some separation at the edges. This one was rich and expressive right out of the bottle (unlike previous bottles). Nose showing cherry, raspberry, tobacco. Palate of cherry, plums, strawberry compote. Medium body and finish. Tannins are fined and smooth.
I thought this might be over the hill at this point but it has evolved into a very pretty wine, still drinking beautifully. Bdx like, CA fruit, expressive, gentle and elegant at this point. Would drink up - probably has a few more years at this level.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry and raspberry. It tastes like strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry jam. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity.
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A surprising Cinq Cepage. I thought this this would be on the old and tired side. Wrong! This is still quite youthful. Some initial tannins, but smoothed out after an hour with air in the decanter. Delicious. Slightly fruitier than classic Bordeaux, but has that strong underpinning of acid and fine tannins. It even has the tobacco. An excellent Bordeaux blend!
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- Garnet color. It's lacking fruit with a medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Wine did not have the bright juice that it used to have. Seemed flat to me.
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This is much more youthful than I expected (although I have little long term experience with Cinq Cepages). Still a deep dark garnet color with No bricking at the edges. Initial nose was very floral bit evolved to plum, blueberry and smoke. Medium body mouthfeel although looks full bodied in the glass. Cigar box, blackberry, abd plum notes dominate the mid-palate. Finish is somewhere in the middle with no tannic grip. This is a fine bottle of wine now. Don't think that it will get much better.
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Part of my "forgotten bottles" focus at the moment, looking for older bottles in my cellar that are not front of mind or I may have forgotten I owned...It's been a while since I had this wine. PnP for first tastes, left for about an hour and revisited.
Core color still dark purple, no separation. Very tight when first opened, started to show in about 20 minutes. Dark cherry, plums, chocolate. Rich mouthfeel. Finish was longer in the first hour than the second, started to fade later.
Great wine when it opens up, still has nice fruits and decent finish. Would drink up, starting to fade
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Super dark ruby in color. There's lots of darkness here: fruit, cherry, chocolate, woodsy... The recommended drinking window was by 2014 but this is still fantastic. There's no hint from this bottle of over the hill so I'm guessing others had different storage provenance than our cellar. But given the variance, suggest you drink any of this that you have left now.
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Color was pretty good and body was a little light but the wine held up well. Flavors were nice but not robust. Enjoyable and able to fast fine for another year plus.
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Unique floral / vanilla bouquet. Dark in color. Rich fruit (blackberries, raspberries, cherries). Very nicely balanced. Charming. Still plenty of life left.
(Degustateurs dinner)
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Allowed to breathe in glass one hour before tasting. Clear deep garnet color. Elegant bouquet of mixed black and red fruit and their liqueurs, anise, fennel, bourbon vanilla, spicy oak, forest floor, hints of tapenade and meat juice. Similar on the palate, dusty dry tannins, full body. Improved with air and held up nicely for four days under vacuum stopper in refrigerator.
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I was quite pleased with this, but I am not sure that a drinking window to 2022 is going to be accurate. I felt that this was very good with a nice balance of fruit and tannin, but I also could taste that it was on the verge of the downhill trend. It is balanced on a razor's edge now, and it was quite good, but the fruit is receding, and I am not sure that it will taste better 3 or 4 years from now. I would drink this over the next 9 - 18 months.
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Deep ruby/red color, showing just the slightest hint of age around the edges. Big, classic cabernet nose, with loads of jammy cherries and blackberries barreling on through. Fruit forward in the mouth, with firm but well integrated tannins rolling over the palate. Evolves into a soft and velvety grape juice. Blackberries are the dominate fruit, with leather, tar, and strong notes of dark chocolate filling out the flavors. Just a tad bit thin on the finish, indicating that the evolution has not yet fully completed. My open up more with a bit of time and air, but I always evaluate the wine straight out of the bottle (just my way of leveling the playing field across tasting notes). A very nice wine indeed, with no doubt at least another 3 to 5 years of life left in it.
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I have to say that Parker got this one wrong and Gary V was spot on. This is an 89 point wine in my opinion. It has a nice dark color, fully bodied. I'm not feeling any elegance with the blend. It's heavy cab to me with oaky flavor. Not a lot of fruit or finesse. Don't get me wrong - it drinks nicely, but I paid $45 and you can't find it less than $60 now. That's just stupid! Happy to say I only bought 2 bottles.
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Agree with many of the recent reviews -- this wine is lacking something, or maybe our expectations were too high. Mushroomy, forest floor, dark cedar, black fruit and tobacco flavors predominate, but somehow it doesn't all come together smoothly. Will defer to Parker and assume maybe it's still just youthful. Wait to try next bottle for a year or two.
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Popped and poured. Beautiful dark garnet. Bouquet full of life with rose, mushroom, cigar box. Was a bit muted on the palate and didn't have much life after. Semi-structured but seemed to fall apart quickly or like something just wasn't there. Might be past the prime and this is all she had. Mid to High 80's
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popped and poured. Nice right out of the bottle, but quickly lost its wonderfully aged Cali Cab luster. Maybe it was the flavorful food that over powered this delicately aged cab. Fruit there but reticent. Tannins resolved but still a little bite at the back end of this wine. Not sure of the provenance, but by the end of our dinner it seemed to have faded. We felt while it was not unpleasant a bit over the hill. Drink up. Still fun to taste.
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Disagree somewhat from many other tasters. Our group of 4 all felt the wine was drinking at its prime. It's not a fruit bomb, but the other flavors have had a chance to evolve. I wouldn't hold it for long, but don't worry about drinking it now. Decanted for about an hour; found it to have nice black fruits, with a layered and interesting finish.
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4th Saturday Group brown bagger (R&C's): Opens with dark, pruny, over-ripe qualities in the bouquet which never really disappear. Adds a cedar-like note with air. Nowhere near as ripe on the palate as this smells, with flavors of currants, oak spices, and cassis. Tannins are fine, with a sweet edge. Picks up a nice chocolate note too.
This had been double decanted briefly off its sediment a little over two hours before the flight. Young, and in need of a few years to integrate the tannin a bit better, but one also has to hope that time will not also cause the ripeness to stand out that much more.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Color in the glass was a nice, deep garnet. Aromas are a bit muted but you could still detect some vanilla with a slight hint of dark fruit. Very light on the palate with just barely noticeable tannins - and a somewhat abbreviated finish. Not bad - but agree with other reviewers that this wine has peaked and may actually be a bit beyond prime drinking window.
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Drink this now. The nose opened up after an hr in the decanter and the fruit was still forward & fresh but definitely past it prime. Black cherry, smoke & toasted oak. A touch of coffee bean & an adequate but not overwhelming finish.
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Average bottle of wine. Disappointing how it held up over the years. Red fruit on the nose with a bit of cigar box.The fruit and floral notes on the body were flat and one-dimensional, did not hold in balance with the tannin structures at the end of the taste. The wine did not stand on its own well, but fair better when paired with food. Lamb pair well as did, salmon (heavier fish), would not have held up with a beef. Best pairing was chocolate truffle with bitter cocoa, also would recommend a subtle blue cheese. If you have a bottle, as suggested by others, open now. Will not get better, will likely continue to fall off precipitously from here.
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Smooth, well balanced wine. Needed very little decanting. Held up well for all these years. Drink it if you have it though. It's unlikely to get any better at this point.
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- Garnet color. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - This wine seemed flat to me. I enjoyed the wine a few months ago and maybe this bottle was off. No real backbone. Lacking the fruit I had previously tasted.
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should be jumping out of the glass, but just not singing. Not corked, but just not as great as I had hoped. No reason not to drink the rest, doubt it will improve with further bottle age
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Medium purple hue. Nose evidencing clove, pepper and mocha. Lots of fruit on the palate with a bit of tea and a smoky finish that I a found a bit too sweet for me. Still, given the 2002 vintage in Sonoma, this was very approachable. Drink now.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Great bottle of Cab
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I actually think this is finally tasting better than a few years ago. I got it at a great price because of the "off" year, but now that investment is paying off.
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Can't find my notes on this so won't rate but was VERY impressed with it. Heard lots of bad stuff on this bottle with crazy bottle variation but I must have got one of the good ones! What I do remember is a very smooth and long wine chalk-full of deep dark red cherries.
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The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Short.
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A rock solid wine. On the nose, sweet currant, with some raspberry, smoke, anise and leather. Palate unfolds with luscious blackberry, blueberry dark chocolate, and smoke. Very long finish. Still quite solid structurally, with some tannic backbone. Better than my last bottle 3 years ago, and should last much longer.
Perfect for Halloween night by the fire outside.
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Popped and poured. Three years since my last bottle of this. Nice nose of black fruit, cedar, tobacco, anise, and spice. On the palate, rich and full with black currant, blackberry, plum, mocha, spice. Finishes medium long with nice balance. Drink or continue to hold, would like to find more of this at the price I paid.
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Just when I thought this wine wouldn't be great, it still surprises to the upside. Brought this to a BBQ, haven't had this in about three years.
Always a big wine, we popped and poured, among other wines. It opened up in about 15 minutes, and continued to mellow. For subsequent bottles, if you have the right venue give it 30 minutes or more to open up.
Color is dark purple, big cab nose. Very smooth, plums, earth minerality. Great finish- 30 seconds +
Has a fair amount of life left in it, will leave remaining bottles for a few years
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Drinking well. I really enjoy Cinq and I've had the 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006. I think this is in between the 1997 and 2004. The fruit is starting to lose its brightness (which I prefer). It is a nice bottle - agree with others to drink up.
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Very fragrant nose. Mature, demure Cali Cab. Medium bodied, the fruit and tannins have completely integrated. A slightly dirty, herbal note on the finish. Nice, but not mind-blowing. Probably at peak.
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. Was open for a day, had opened the prior night and recorked when we didnt get to it. still drinking well, tastes young, not as vibrant as it was a couple years ago. Dark cherries and fruits, still has some of the unique earth notes you get from Cinq Cepage
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Modest bouquet. After two hours it was sensational. Drinking window is right now. Perfectly balanced. Nice dusty fine tannins. Sweet ripe fruit. 30 second finish. This wine is a jewel.
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Dark ruby to purple color. Nose of briary fruits, plum, smoke, some mint. Similar on the palate. Very dense. Still very young in character. Drank in celebration of M & A's 10 years.
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Great color, deep dark purplish red...no expectations but the nose has muted oak..fruit, something brooding with some earth/vegetal hint...on the palate well-balance fruit with tannic flare and toasted minerals..very good now but will last another 10 years at least...
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Still tasted young; decanted for 2.5 hrs and no change from pop and pour. strong notes of white pepper and cherries. agree with previous review, more pinoish than cali cab.
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Decanted 3 hours, nose of sweet cherry, licorice, and black currant. Well balanced fruit, tannin, and acidity. Oak is still a little heavy but overall drinking very well right now.
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Like many of its Sonoma counterparts, this would probably been better younger. That said, I have a lot of this left - still it is smooth, elegant and a very pleasant drinker.
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I was anxious to drink this wine after reading recent comments. We went to dinner at Iron Horse Grill in P. Ville NY with Susan and Rich, so I was 'safe' bringing this. On pop n' pour, this was weak. This wasn't a heavy cab weight-wise. More pinoish. The pretty nose of cherry was better than the wine itself. 60 minutes later, no improvement. At 120 minutes, this was bleh. Time to drink up (alone, or with non-wine geeks). Glad I bought this on WTSO several years ago at $24. Next time I'll drinking marginal wines alone, rather than waste an opportunity to enjoy a good wine with dinner.
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Reflected the middle of the road rating of the vintage in Sonoma. Fairly light though bigger and slightly more complex than the Harlan Pinot Noir which preceded it. Wish this had been a little more balanced. The tannins were a bit heavy.
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Decanted through vinturi. Dark red color, nose of sour cherry and rose petal. Palate quite tart initially, which rounded out some over the next hour. Kept thinking it would open into something better, but it never really did. Medium-bodied. Better with the steak than on its own.
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Despite a spate of recent notes that were not very enthusiastic, our tastings were very enjoyable...3 bottles served with no variation. Deep deep color, dark red fruits, great balance and long finish...tannins coming around with oak in balance. Hitting its stride, this is a excellent effort with years ahead of enjoyment
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Took quite a while to open. Opened but did not decant over two hours before drinking. Was tight and structures showing no fruit. Good but not overwhelming. Next day, over half the bottle remaining, was far more approachable and typicsl of Cinq Cepages
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Enjoyed with the Smiths as a cocktail wine (only cheese and crackers and veggies to complement) This took a while to open up. First popped and poured and noticed that it was a bit tight on both nose and palate. Was worried that it may have been past its peak, but decided to use Vinturi next and that opened it up and smoothed it out considerably. So this does have some more life. Glad because I decanted the rest of the bottle and over the next 1.5 hours, it showed much better. Nose was decent of red fruits, slight cigar box. Color was starting to show a medium brownish red tinge. Mouth feel was a bit lightweight as I recall - not so much texture or viscocity. Just checked the bottle - 14.4% alcohol, so I'm a little surprised. Finish was pretty short - I'm going to say about 10-15 seconds at best, although I didn't make a conscious effort to time. It did get better as it opened up, but I'm not so sure it was worth the price. But I can see this complementing a steak very nicely, instead of begging to be the star. I have 3 single bottles from other vintages (2002, 2003, 2005) - purchased as a vertical 4some in Buffalo NY. Not sure if I'm going to do a vertical with the remaining ones or if I will take my own advise and enjoy with a steak. Maybe I'll do both.
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Aired for 30 minutes prior to being poured. Dark (but not opaque) ruby in the glass, the classic nose is of cassis, dark cherry, currant, cedar and tobacco. Very smooth, almost velvety on the palate, with notes in keeping with the nose, along with a touch of mocha, this has excellent push through the mid-palate and on into a 20+ second finish. As this sat in the glass, it developed further for the better, with a gain in both body and tannic structure. By the 3-hour mark, this was still improving with the tannins still evolving. This was delicious with boneless ribeye steaks and sauteed mushrooms, and should be good for at least another several years. Glad to have a few more!
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I'm stunned by this. Eight months ago, I reviewed this as "ordinary". It is not anymore. I think the biggest difference is that I aired this bottle out for 8 hours prior to serving....today when I popped it, it was less compelling. "Aired out" was pouring a glass from the bottle and leaving the remainder open and uncorked.
After 8 hours....on the nose, cassis and licorice combine to give this a bit of a boozy character....subtle, and in a good way. On the palate, still comes across as relatively "primary" in terms of flavors, yet nearly resolved. Some residual tannins start to appear after this has been in the glass, but a very smooth and a subtle finish that lingers (haunts) for a long while. Much, much richer than when originally opened.
For now, let this one breath. It does seem to have both enough fruit and tannins to live on. With the right treatment, this drinks very well now, but I'm feeling no rush on the remaining bottles.
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A nice bottle of well balanced California Cab. I liked the smoothness of the wine, the full flavor, and very pleasant aromatics. For me, it displayed a nice earthy nose, that typical aroma you get with a good cabernet. The flavor, while not out of the ballpark displayed nice, dark, brooding fruits. For me, it's nice to have a cab that doesn't leave your mouth dry and your tongue shriveled. A nice bottle.
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Really impressed with this one! Worth waiting for, Christmas dinner with the folks. Had this after the Pride merlot magnum that dad opened and I think this blew it away. Amazing structure and balance.
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Still holding a perfect ruby color, 90% saturated. Mild and seductive aroma of raspberry and black currant, touches of mocha. Very smooth and is in it's junior stride at this age. Nearly gorgeous and wonderfully defined cab. Big, lingering finish. (5+11+17+7) = 90
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Dark ruby. Red fruit, cassis, and some cedar. Deep red fruits and some mocha and spice on the palate. Tannins are well-integrated, but this bottle still packed a punch. Much more full-bodied and rich than a bottle a friend brought a few months ago.
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Note to self, read your previous notes on a wine before drinking it. Nose of blackberry, black currant, anise, cedar, spicy oak. On the palate blackberry, black cherry, mocha, spicy oak. Finishes with very stout tannins. Needs at least a couple more years. Excellent. Value not there.
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Cree and Saras for dinner. Good but not great. Restrained nose and palate, maybe the result of weak glasses. Good balance and srtucture. Try next bottle in better glass.
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Really wonderful bottle of wine. Wonderful berries. A complete bordeaux blend that is well balanced. I think this could age a little longer. Dark purple with cherry nose.
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This is a delicately balanced California Cab with beautiful color, deep fruit, character and complexity. We savored it w/ steaks off the grill - could not have been better. Never thought I'd say a $50 California Cab was good "value" (having bought them decades ago for far less), but this one rules. Recommended!
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Started out light and fruity and I was disappointed. Then with air it continued to add weight and structure. Then I was impressed. Alas after four hours it faded and became a bit hollow. But what a ride it was over the evening.
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I found this enjoyable, nothing wrong with it. Good color and body, fruit was still there. Nothing extrodinary, the wine is good for another year or so. Don't over pay for this one, it is not bad but not worth more than $25.
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Easily one of my favorite wines made by one of the best winemakers in the business. This true bordeaux stly blend with all five grapes is nothing short of spectacular. All varietal characteristics are represented, and are well balanced with the oak and tannins. ready to drink but will only get more complex with age. If you see a deal on it, go for it!!
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Pop & pour with smoked trout & pear/gorgonzola... upfront fruit, barnyard w/light mineral undertones and just a touch of currant and black pepper on the nose. Fully-integrated tannins were almost a surprise; thought this might still be just a touch muscular, but not so. Second glass showed more cherry notes with a really nice hint of mocha. I was surprised that this wine looked so young in the glass (ruby with no bricking at edges) but the tannins were fully-integrated; drinking window might only extend 5 more years. Another 30 minutes revealed blackberry on the nose. Not as stellar 96 or even 97, but a very nice expression of what CSJ can be. The slightly dominant oak I tasted several months ago has moved into the background, and there is absolutely no heat in this wine. Thank goodness they've gotten over their 96 reviews and priced this wine appropriately. Final quarter glass... beginning to turn just a little astringent at two hours open; I didn't have enough remaining in the bottle to wait & see if this passed, so can't comment on what might follow?
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Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, mocha, anise, cedar. On the palate, black raspberry, mocha, cedar, spicy oak. Finished with stout tannins. Technically it had everything in balance but it left me wanting more of something. Excellent. Pass on value. Hold 2-3 years.
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decanted 45 minutes prior to first taste. nicely balanced but restrained. not as expressive as one would hope. tannins were well integrated w/ blackberry, cassis, and chocolate on the palate. a pleasant drink but left me wanting for "more" of something. i would say the balance was its most outstanding quality. was looking for more expressiveness, complexity, finish length.......something.
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Decanted for about 1.5 hours on Thanksgiving. then had with pasta and turkey thanksgiving dinner. Dark fruit, not over the top but enough for those that enjoy it. Wine had a nice mouthfeel, good texture and was fairly smooth. Pretty long finish, with just the slightest hint of bitterness. Well made wine that tasted good, it really was just lacking that extra oomph that made it great. Probably somewhere between 89-90, I'll call it a 90 'cause everyone else at dinner really liked it.
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This is my fourth (and last) bottle of this wine. Every previous bottle has been WONDERFUL (low to mid 90's). This one was drinkable, but clearly not on a par with the others. I cannot discern a specific flaw such as TCA, brett, VA, oxidation, etc. It should not be past it's prime, but that is one possibility - at least in this particular bottle's microclimate. Or maybe it was just my palate tonight. Hard to say. Can't give a numerical rating.
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Technically this wine has everything going for it. Color is strong and deep, showing no signs of age at this point. Nose is there, though quite subdued right now. Nice mouthfeel, good tannic structure, acid in balance, fruit coming through along with some other great tastes that are a bit undistinguishable as of yet. In a nutshell, this wine is currently pretty closed and sleeping, but I can tell that it has great potential. I think this is going to need AT LEAST 18 months to come around, perhaps even a bit longer than that. The 90 point score might be a bit generous right now, but I know how great this wine can be and I see the potential for greatness here, hence the generosity with the score.
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Nice nose. Nice wine. Stronger coming out of the blocks than finishing. I think that this is a very well made wine; a very nice effort. But I'm giving it a pass. I paid $50 for a wine that gave me $25 of enjoyment.
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I suppose this will get a bit better, and it has a bit more character (brambly, cedary notes) than the forgettable 2003. Not a lot of structure (compared to the '04 or '1) so I wouldn't expect it to improve beyond very good.
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This has definitely improved since the last time I drank it 8 months ago. Decanted fo 1.5 hours prior to drinking. Definite flavors of Plum and dark cherries as mentioned by others. I really enjoyed this wine and can see it continuing to get better over the next couple of years.
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Nice ripe raspberry and anise on the nose, with nice balance of fruit an acidity on the palate. Could stand another year or so of age to round things out.
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Decanted 2 hours, then poured back into the bottle for the trip to Jeff's Sunday Dinner. BEAUTIFUL nose of black fruit and violets. Flavors of blackberry preserves and flowers, with a long, tasty finish of cherry and oak. Very smooth, and the decant made the wine relax. Extremely tasty and drinking great right now. All at the dinner party agreed, a very enjoyable wine.
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Solid. This wine is really beginning to flesh out with age. Coats the mouth with cassis, dark fruit, with a touch of smoke and green herbs. Consumed with grilled pork loin and didn't last long. 92+
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Nice wine. I've always been a big fan of the Cinq Cepages (at the right price - $75 is way too much). First night this was hot as hades - way to much alcohol and little fruit showing. Day two the deep red fruits started showing. Nice plum and deep dark cherry flavors. Needs a few more years to lose some of the heat and to allow the fruit to integrate more evenly. If you have a few bottles, give it a whirl - if not, hang onto them and you'll be rewarded.
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Rich nose of blackberry, blueberry, and wet earth. On the palate, a pure beam of dark cherry, boysenberry, and blackberry. Tannis grip pretty hard and add a drying aspect. Finishes slightly raiseny. Very good now, and still young. Should improve over time.
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Served with skirt steak, pop and pour. Not overly impressed or disappointed. A solid deal at $37 at winestilsoldout.com, but nothing I will track down in the future.
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Pretty medium ruby color. Thwe nose is all about casis and blackberry with some anise. Quite intense. The palate reveals beautiful pure cabernet qualities of currant, sweet dark fruits, wonderful slight cocoa, and tar. There is a very intense oak quality but this has the fruit to carry it. If I have any complaint its the somewhat high acid level, but its negligable. This is a very elegant intense bottle of wine. A superb finish brings it all home. This was a wonderful deal at $37.00 from Winestilsoldout.com.
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Tasted November 10, 2007 at an offline. Tight nose giving way to some notes of plums when not trounced upon by the oaky/vanilla like aromas. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold.
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We have been trying some of our 2002's to judge their staying power. This wine will be solid for another 2 years minimum. Good structure, nice tannins and very pleasant now, but will absolutely get better with age. Will report back in 2009 on how it is doing.
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The nose of this wine was unrevealing for quite a while. It never did offer up more than dark fruits. This wine was very well balanced, and had a very smooth mouthfeel. It just didn't have enough to offer to get me excited.
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About $39 at Costco. Dark red. Smoky/charred nose with a good cabernet sweetness and a little jazz on it. Medium to full bodied, it shows nice round fruit and a good mineral/herbal side. Fine tannins, and acidity to hold it up. Overall I find this a structured balanced wine but not a blockbuster. It's missing an extra umph to get me excited.
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After three hours of decanting & some time in the glass the nose developed hints of vanilla, tea & fruit...just fantastic. I also noted some structure this time in the mouth. I could really taste scorched earth & ripe fruit along with the oak on the back end. With air this wine really comes alive. This is truly an outstanding wine.
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Tasted April 21, 2007 at an offline. Tasted from a Spiegelau Authentus Magnum glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose is closed and giving up nothing. Primary flavors of red cherries and red berries. Light to medium acidity, firm tannins, light to medium body. Obviously needs to be held and allowed to develop in the bottle. No rating.
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Not bad but not great either. lacks a little in complexity and the finish is short. Nice currant and cassis flavors are tasty and pleasing but not deep or outstanding. Some herb and mocha on the smooth finish. I was hoping for a bit more.
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Had at a tasting in March & I don't agree with the drinking window here. The '02's are very approachable now, especially when compared to the '01's. Comparatively the '02's lack the complexity of the better Cinq vintages. I also don't think the '02's will have the shelf life of the others. Most likely I'll polish off the half case I have of the '02's before I open another '01.
Regarding the wine, I noted a nice balance between the fruit & oak, though I thought this vintage was slightly sweeter than vintages past. I also noted how quickley the nose appeared, though not of the '96 or '99 ilk. I also didn't notice any real secondary flavors coming through, and the finish was only a few seconds long. When I open a bottle at home I'll decant for at least one hour to see if this wine can possibly evolve further. Rating: 89 - 92 (?)
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A extraordinary wine for a nice dinner. Decanted and it opened up nicely. Perfect with Lamb Shank with "Moroccan" spices, and also very good with first course onion tart and salad (all at Coup des Tartes). Barely worth the high price, but outstanding none the less.
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Okay, it may not be a landmark -- the finish and complexity are on the short and simple side -- but I still think some of the critics have underrated this. It's tight and slightly tannic at first, but ultimately it gives way to show classic cassis and blackcurrant, mocha, and a nice touch of mint (as someone mentioned earlier). It's neither overripe nor too hot. It's simply well-structured, well-balanced, pleasing, and not too terribly priced at about $45 (courtesy of Costco). And, potentially, another few years in the cellar could move this one up a further point or two.
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On the nose, I get black fruit and a hint of butterscotch. The taste was oak, fruit and tannins. The finish was very short. A very good wine but, there are better ones out there for the price. I have one bottle left and willl wait a while before opening.
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Not as bad as Laube said but I don't see at this point what Parker was excited about. Over two days it took on a caramel/sweet oak quality. I'll hold off for a couple of years before I try again.
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Drank this weekend at a friends house in Sausalito hill to watch the Blue Angels/fleet week. Great wine, and still so young. Potential here is huge. Happy to be saving 2 more bottles of this and may buy a few more, as I get a great deal on them. Nose was too alcoholic at first, but bloomed within 15-20 minutes with some air. Flavor was dominated by blackberry/currant, slight blood-orange, and a tiny bit of raspberry. Everyone enjoyed this tremendously.
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Odom Tasting (Marxx Bros.): Huge, tight, tanninc black beast. Nice acidity, black currant and cherry fruits, and well integrated oak. Will probably age gracefully. Finishes wit a slight hint of smoke and tobacco as it opens up. Liked the '03 Oroppas tasted prior to this better, but this will be nice in a few more years. Disappointed, however, about the price increases this one has taken over the years. Had a 1995 with the sticker still intact with a price of $21.99. Now, at least up here, it is fetching close to $100, unfortunately with the same quality. QPR is on the decline.
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Very good. We had with the Brasied Spanish chicken recipe. Held up very well to the spices in the recipe. Certainly a great value at the $50 ish price point. Good thing about the Cinq is the lack of that crappy tanic secondary taste.
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2/24/2024 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Blind. Aromas of green tobacco, red berry fruit and leather. Fully-integrated. Flavors of chocolate and dark plummy fruit. Opens further as it sits, adding cherry, herb and cedar qualities, and the fruit fleshes out on the palate. Finishes with good length. Just a lovely mature wine. I suspected this was our CSJ, opened in honor of a last minute attendee born in 2002.
This too had been gently double decanted off its sediment and placed back under cork 2.25 hours before the flight was poured. A beautiful showing from our penultimate bottle.
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2/10/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
In my cellar since 2007, probably a couple years after release and purchased from WTSO. Back in the day this got relatively low scores because it did not follow the fashion then in its height toward super ripe, heavily extracted, high ABV Cabs. This was delightfully “old-school”. I double decanted around 3pm to take to a friend’s house to have dinner around 7:30pm. Totally fresh, with no bricking whatsoever. Tannins fully integrated but still has some vibrant acidity. Wonderfully smooth texture. Fruit leans to the red berry spectrum with some earthy and leathery accents. Strong mineral sensation in the background. Nice balance. It was a little less evolved than I would have hoped. The secondary flavors were reticent and there were no notable tertiary accents. Still surprisingly primary. It was just a step or two behind in complexity. This may still get there so, no real hurry to drink these if stored in a cool cellar.
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6/26/2023 - Mallards wrote: 93 Points
It has been 10 years since I opened my last 2002 - this was great. Soft as you might expect from a 21 year old wine, but enough tannin backbone around to make this an exceptional choice for a birthday wine. Yum!
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6/18/2023 - Joelene wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well
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12/26/2020 - acorelli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hard to handle on opening - blast of tannins and acid - but settled down after 20 minutes to a warm, round, lovely wine. Plenty of life left.
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2/1/2020 - danscellar wrote: 91 Points
A well balanced cinq good fruit and tannins, drinking nicely not really showing it is at the end of the drinking window. Enjoy!!
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10/14/2019 - Arturoonwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
This opens up with a nose reminiscent of a St. JULIEN. A dark, warm and sappy nose of black currant, black cherry and tar. There’s a calm and roundness here that screams ‘drink me’. Showing a smooth, complete mouthfeel without excessive complexity or drive. Simply delicious with a flank steak, but it won’t get better. Enjoy now!
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7/27/2018 - ihavezinned wrote: 92 Points
still going strong. beautiful dark fruit and floral notes. long rich finish.
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10/8/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened, but not decanted for over an hour in a restaurant. My final bottle and my previous ones predate my being on Celllartracker, so I have no notes to compare it to. This tasted like it still had years of life ahead of it. It had a medium-long finish, and tasted more like a 10 year old Bordeaux than a Napa Cab.
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9/15/2017 - walkerjfw wrote:
Last bottle from a batch bought close to release. At home w some casual fare, this is another "forgotten bottle" resting nicely in the cellar....PnP, drank over several hours.
Core is still purple/ruby with some separation at the edges. This one was rich and expressive right out of the bottle (unlike previous bottles). Nose showing cherry, raspberry, tobacco. Palate of cherry, plums, strawberry compote. Medium body and finish. Tannins are fined and smooth.
I thought this might be over the hill at this point but it has evolved into a very pretty wine, still drinking beautifully. Bdx like, CA fruit, expressive, gentle and elegant at this point. Would drink up - probably has a few more years at this level.
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3/26/2017 - Marc S Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry and raspberry. It tastes like strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry jam. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity.
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3/16/2017 - PortFanatic wrote: 92 Points
A surprising Cinq Cepage. I thought this this would be on the old and tired side. Wrong! This is still quite youthful. Some initial tannins, but smoothed out after an hour with air in the decanter. Delicious. Slightly fruitier than classic Bordeaux, but has that strong underpinning of acid and fine tannins. It even has the tobacco. An excellent Bordeaux blend!
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3/5/2017 - Marc S wrote: 88 Points
- Garnet color. It's lacking fruit with a medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Wine did not have the bright juice that it used to have. Seemed flat to me.
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2/8/2017 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is much more youthful than I expected (although I have little long term experience with Cinq Cepages). Still a deep dark garnet color with
No bricking at the edges. Initial nose was very floral bit evolved to plum, blueberry and smoke. Medium body mouthfeel although looks full bodied in the glass. Cigar box, blackberry, abd plum notes dominate the mid-palate. Finish is somewhere in the middle with no tannic grip.
This is a fine bottle of wine now. Don't think that it will get much better.
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12/18/2016 - walkerjfw wrote:
Part of my "forgotten bottles" focus at the moment, looking for older bottles in my cellar that are not front of mind or I may have forgotten I owned...It's been a while since I had this wine. PnP for first tastes, left for about an hour and revisited.
Core color still dark purple, no separation. Very tight when first opened, started to show in about 20 minutes. Dark cherry, plums, chocolate. Rich mouthfeel. Finish was longer in the first hour than the second, started to fade later.
Great wine when it opens up, still has nice fruits and decent finish. Would drink up, starting to fade
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11/20/2016 - spisakc wrote: 93 Points
Super dark ruby in color. There's lots of darkness here: fruit, cherry, chocolate, woodsy... The recommended drinking window was by 2014 but this is still fantastic. There's no hint from this bottle of over the hill so I'm guessing others had different storage provenance than our cellar. But given the variance, suggest you drink any of this that you have left now.
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11/7/2016 - bryon m wrote: 89 Points
Color was pretty good and body was a little light but the wine held up well. Flavors were nice but not robust. Enjoyable and able to fast fine for another year plus.
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6/29/2016 - Bruce 1er Likes this wine: 96 Points
Unique floral / vanilla bouquet. Dark in color. Rich fruit (blackberries, raspberries, cherries). Very nicely balanced. Charming. Still plenty of life left.
(Degustateurs dinner)
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3/24/2016 - ihavezinned wrote: 92 Points
this has held phenomenally. lots of dark fruit, meat, chocolate, cherry, spice, wet dirt. drinking beautifully!
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12/5/2015 - Javachip wrote: 89 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass one hour before tasting. Clear deep garnet color. Elegant bouquet of mixed black and red fruit and their liqueurs, anise, fennel, bourbon vanilla, spicy oak, forest floor, hints of tapenade and meat juice. Similar on the palate, dusty dry tannins, full body. Improved with air and held up nicely for four days under vacuum stopper in refrigerator.
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10/24/2015 - Tarpon222 wrote: 90 Points
Agree with previous comments. Drinks nice but cannot imagine why I would wait to finish remaining bottles.
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9/26/2015 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was quite pleased with this, but I am not sure that a drinking window to 2022 is going to be accurate. I felt that this was very good with a nice balance of fruit and tannin, but I also could taste that it was on the verge of the downhill trend. It is balanced on a razor's edge now, and it was quite good, but the fruit is receding, and I am not sure that it will taste better 3 or 4 years from now. I would drink this over the next 9 - 18 months.
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5/14/2015 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby/red color, showing just the slightest hint of age around the edges. Big, classic cabernet nose, with loads of jammy cherries and blackberries barreling on through. Fruit forward in the mouth, with firm but well integrated tannins rolling over the palate. Evolves into a soft and velvety grape juice. Blackberries are the dominate fruit, with leather, tar, and strong notes of dark chocolate filling out the flavors. Just a tad bit thin on the finish, indicating that the evolution has not yet fully completed. My open up more with a bit of time and air, but I always evaluate the wine straight out of the bottle (just my way of leveling the playing field across tasting notes). A very nice wine indeed, with no doubt at least another 3 to 5 years of life left in it.
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5/1/2015 - stevenrcagle wrote: 89 Points
I have to say that Parker got this one wrong and Gary V was spot on. This is an 89 point wine in my opinion. It has a nice dark color, fully bodied. I'm not feeling any elegance with the blend. It's heavy cab to me with oaky flavor. Not a lot of fruit or finesse. Don't get me wrong - it drinks nicely, but I paid $45 and you can't find it less than $60 now. That's just stupid! Happy to say I only bought 2 bottles.
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2/13/2015 - no leashes wrote: 88 Points
Agree with many of the recent reviews -- this wine is lacking something, or maybe our expectations were too high. Mushroomy, forest floor, dark cedar, black fruit and tobacco flavors predominate, but somehow it doesn't all come together smoothly. Will defer to Parker and assume maybe it's still just youthful. Wait to try next bottle for a year or two.
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12/23/2014 - shapsplace wrote:
Popped and poured. Beautiful dark garnet. Bouquet full of life with rose, mushroom, cigar box. Was a bit muted on the palate and didn't have much life after. Semi-structured but seemed to fall apart quickly or like something just wasn't there. Might be past the prime and this is all she had. Mid to High 80's
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10/26/2014 - ejca wrote:
Ok, would drink now, not sure it will get better.
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9/27/2014 - Whine-oh wrote: 88 Points
popped and poured. Nice right out of the bottle, but quickly lost its wonderfully aged Cali Cab luster. Maybe it was the flavorful food that over powered this delicately aged cab. Fruit there but reticent. Tannins resolved but still a little bite at the back end of this wine. Not sure of the provenance, but by the end of our dinner it seemed to have faded. We felt while it was not unpleasant a bit over the hill. Drink up. Still fun to taste.
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2/25/2014 - RKJacobs Likes this wine: 95 Points
INsane Great.. huge Cab, balanced.. period
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1/26/2014 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 86 Points
Drink now. This opened a bit after 2 hours but this is the 4th bottle of this vintage and while very drinkable, not terribly layered or interesting.
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1/20/2014 - christyspring wrote: 92 Points
Disagree somewhat from many other tasters. Our group of 4 all felt the wine was drinking at its prime. It's not a fruit bomb, but the other flavors have had a chance to evolve. I wouldn't hold it for long, but don't worry about drinking it now. Decanted for about an hour; found it to have nice black fruits, with a layered and interesting finish.
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11/26/2013 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Cerise, vanille et cèdre au nez. En bouche, puissance et équilibre vont de paire ici, très long et très racé. Très bon vin!
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11/16/2013 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (R&C's): Opens with dark, pruny, over-ripe qualities in the bouquet which never really disappear. Adds a cedar-like note with air. Nowhere near as ripe on the palate as this smells, with flavors of currants, oak spices, and cassis. Tannins are fine, with a sweet edge. Picks up a nice chocolate note too.
This had been double decanted briefly off its sediment a little over two hours before the flight. Young, and in need of a few years to integrate the tannin a bit better, but one also has to hope that time will not also cause the ripeness to stand out that much more.
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11/2/2013 - kuhawk88 wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Color in the glass was a nice, deep garnet. Aromas are a bit muted but you could still detect some vanilla with a slight hint of dark fruit. Very light on the palate with just barely noticeable tannins - and a somewhat abbreviated finish. Not bad - but agree with other reviewers that this wine has peaked and may actually be a bit beyond prime drinking window.
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9/8/2013 - BinVA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Right on the edge of its life it seems. Tannic when opened, settled over and hour. Enjoyed
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7/5/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 89 Points
Drink this now. The nose opened up after an hr in the decanter and the fruit was still forward & fresh but definitely past it prime. Black cherry, smoke & toasted oak. A touch of coffee bean & an adequate but not overwhelming finish.
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6/22/2013 - aggrossman wrote: 79 Points
Average bottle of wine. Disappointing how it held up over the years. Red fruit on the nose with a bit of cigar box.The fruit and floral notes on the body were flat and one-dimensional, did not hold in balance with the tannin structures at the end of the taste. The wine did not stand on its own well, but fair better when paired with food. Lamb pair well as did, salmon (heavier fish), would not have held up with a beef. Best pairing was chocolate truffle with bitter cocoa, also would recommend a subtle blue cheese. If you have a bottle, as suggested by others, open now. Will not get better, will likely continue to fall off precipitously from here.
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6/20/2013 - Harddriv wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, well balanced wine. Needed very little decanting. Held up well for all these years. Drink it if you have it though. It's unlikely to get any better at this point.
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6/18/2013 - Marc S wrote: 83 Points
- Garnet color. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a long finish - This wine seemed flat to me. I enjoyed the wine a few months ago and maybe this bottle was off. No real backbone. Lacking the fruit I had previously tasted.
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5/30/2013 - 1800kidney wrote: 88 Points
should be jumping out of the glass, but just not singing. Not corked, but just not as great as I had hoped. No reason not to drink the rest, doubt it will improve with further bottle age
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5/4/2013 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 86 Points
Medium purple hue. Nose evidencing clove, pepper and mocha. Lots of fruit on the palate with a bit of tea and a smoky finish that I a found a bit too sweet for me. Still, given the 2002 vintage in Sonoma, this was very approachable. Drink now.
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4/26/2013 - Marc S wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Great bottle of Cab
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4/6/2013 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
Creamy on the palate with good fruit but does not have enough backbone and acidity left.
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3/7/2013 - pford Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful!
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2/1/2013 - bsegel Likes this wine: 90 Points
I actually think this is finally tasting better than a few years ago. I got it at a great price because of the "off" year, but now that investment is paying off.
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1/5/2013 - leftylevi wrote:
Can't find my notes on this so won't rate but was VERY impressed with it. Heard lots of bad stuff on this bottle with crazy bottle variation but I must have got one of the good ones! What I do remember is a very smooth and long wine chalk-full of deep dark red cherries.
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12/25/2012 - bsmall wrote: 91 Points
nice with standing beef roast, long bold finish...but well balanced
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12/24/2012 - SaysNuts Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big fruit. Nice.
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12/9/2012 - Brownvino wrote: 91 Points
The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Short.
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11/29/2012 - Mallards Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking nicely now. As good as it gets from Sonoma. An excellent accompaniment to our meal.
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11/24/2012 - Brownvino wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth. Still have substantial fruit. Enjoyed the wine. Nice and long after taste.
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11/17/2012 - EJKIII wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful, mature Cinq. Smooth, completely integrated. Don't wait too long on any remaining inventory. Alas, only 1 left.
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10/31/2012 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
A rock solid wine. On the nose, sweet currant, with some raspberry, smoke, anise and leather. Palate unfolds with luscious blackberry, blueberry dark chocolate, and smoke. Very long finish. Still quite solid structurally, with some tannic backbone. Better than my last bottle 3 years ago, and should last much longer.
Perfect for Halloween night by the fire outside.
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10/28/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Three years since my last bottle of this. Nice nose of black fruit, cedar, tobacco, anise, and spice. On the palate, rich and full with black currant, blackberry, plum, mocha, spice. Finishes medium long with nice balance. Drink or continue to hold, would like to find more of this at the price I paid.
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9/8/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 90 Points
Just when I thought this wine wouldn't be great, it still surprises to the upside. Brought this to a BBQ, haven't had this in about three years.
Always a big wine, we popped and poured, among other wines. It opened up in about 15 minutes, and continued to mellow. For subsequent bottles, if you have the right venue give it 30 minutes or more to open up.
Color is dark purple, big cab nose. Very smooth, plums, earth minerality. Great finish- 30 seconds +
Has a fair amount of life left in it, will leave remaining bottles for a few years
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8/10/2012 - aaronwine wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well. I really enjoy Cinq and I've had the 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006. I think this is in between the 1997 and 2004. The fruit is starting to lose its brightness (which I prefer). It is a nice bottle - agree with others to drink up.
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5/19/2012 - macawmom&dad wrote: 92 Points
At its peak. Tannins gone, balanced flavors, showing great. Could go another year or two
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5/8/2012 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 89 Points
Very fragrant nose. Mature, demure Cali Cab. Medium bodied, the fruit and tannins have completely integrated. A slightly dirty, herbal note on the finish. Nice, but not mind-blowing. Probably at peak.
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5/3/2012 - winelovr2001 wrote: 90 Points
A nice mature cabernet. Sweet mature tannins and well integrated fruit. At its peak...drink up!
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4/29/2012 - walkerjfw wrote: 89 Points
. Was open for a day, had opened the prior night and recorked when we didnt get to it. still drinking well, tastes young, not as vibrant as it was a couple years ago. Dark cherries and fruits, still has some of the unique earth notes you get from Cinq Cepage
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4/14/2012 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 88 Points
Still drinking nicely, though lacking a little depth.
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2/18/2012 - dfresh wrote: 94 Points
Modest bouquet. After two hours it was sensational. Drinking window is right now. Perfectly balanced. Nice dusty fine tannins. Sweet ripe fruit. 30 second finish. This wine is a jewel.
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2/16/2012 - NOLA Bob wrote: 91 Points
Still has plenty of life. Nice, well integrated. Opened up over an hour or so.
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1/21/2012 - cgrimes wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby to purple color. Nose of briary fruits, plum, smoke, some mint. Similar on the palate. Very dense. Still very young in character. Drank in celebration of M & A's 10 years.
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1/19/2012 - Mallards wrote: 92 Points
Luscious soft, wonderous stuff.
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10/31/2011 - 9 and 3/4 wrote: 93 Points
Great color, deep dark purplish red...no expectations but the nose has muted oak..fruit, something brooding with some earth/vegetal hint...on the palate well-balance fruit with tannic flare and toasted minerals..very good now but will last another 10 years at least...
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10/22/2011 - jplevin1 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still tasted young; decanted for 2.5 hrs and no change from pop and pour. strong notes of white pepper and cherries. agree with previous review, more pinoish than cali cab.
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10/16/2011 - DTWOB wrote: 88 Points
Not quite the same wine results that I enjoyed 44 months ago.
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9/18/2011 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 89 Points
Still young.
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9/3/2011 - jdbcolumbus wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours, nose of sweet cherry, licorice, and black currant. Well balanced fruit, tannin, and acidity. Oak is still a little heavy but overall drinking very well right now.
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8/28/2011 - korkd wrote: 92 Points
Mature, some slight fruit but in general a good bdx styled wine from an ok year.
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8/12/2011 - Mallards wrote: 89 Points
Like many of its Sonoma counterparts, this would probably been better younger. That said, I have a lot of this left - still it is smooth, elegant and a very pleasant drinker.
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5/27/2011 - dhammer53 wrote: 86 Points
I was anxious to drink this wine after reading recent comments. We went to dinner at Iron Horse Grill in P. Ville NY with Susan and Rich, so I was 'safe' bringing this. On pop n' pour, this was weak. This wasn't a heavy cab weight-wise. More pinoish. The pretty nose of cherry was better than the wine itself. 60 minutes later, no improvement. At 120 minutes, this was bleh. Time to drink up (alone, or with non-wine geeks). Glad I bought this on WTSO several years ago at $24. Next time I'll drinking marginal wines alone, rather than waste an opportunity to enjoy a good wine with dinner.
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5/22/2011 - wconnolly wrote: 86 Points
Reflected the middle of the road rating of the vintage in Sonoma. Fairly light though bigger and slightly more complex than the Harlan Pinot Noir which preceded it. Wish this had been a little more balanced. The tannins were a bit heavy.
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3/20/2011 - jimmythesaint wrote:
okay bottle but a little muted.
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3/15/2011 - Marc S wrote: 88 Points
Still very good, but has gone down somewhat
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2/4/2011 - KeithSurg wrote: 86 Points
Decanted through vinturi. Dark red color, nose of sour cherry and rose petal. Palate quite tart initially, which rounded out some over the next hour. Kept thinking it would open into something better, but it never really did. Medium-bodied. Better with the steak than on its own.
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12/30/2010 - 1800kidney wrote: 92 Points
Despite a spate of recent notes that were not very enthusiastic, our tastings were very enjoyable...3 bottles served with no variation. Deep deep color, dark red fruits, great balance and long finish...tannins coming around with oak in balance. Hitting its stride, this is a excellent effort with years ahead of enjoyment
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12/30/2010 - jtt300 wrote: 89 Points
Nice fruit, but has lost a little. drink now.
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12/25/2010 - Marc S wrote: 84 Points
Please read my previous notes.
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12/25/2010 - Marc S wrote: 85 Points
Please read my previous notes on this wine.
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12/25/2010 - Marc S wrote: 83 Points
This bottle was decanted for 1.5 hours before drinking. I think this wine was better last year. Still good but losing some of its structure.
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10/9/2010 - wconnolly wrote: 89 Points
Took quite a while to open. Opened but did not decant over two hours before drinking. Was tight and structures showing no fruit. Good but not overwhelming. Next day, over half the bottle remaining, was far more approachable and typicsl of Cinq Cepages
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10/3/2010 - enovino wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed with the Smiths as a cocktail wine (only cheese and crackers and veggies to complement) This took a while to open up. First popped and poured and noticed that it was a bit tight on both nose and palate. Was worried that it may have been past its peak, but decided to use Vinturi next and that opened it up and smoothed it out considerably. So this does have some more life. Glad because I decanted the rest of the bottle and over the next 1.5 hours, it showed much better. Nose was decent of red fruits, slight cigar box. Color was starting to show a medium brownish red tinge. Mouth feel was a bit lightweight as I recall - not so much texture or viscocity. Just checked the bottle - 14.4% alcohol, so I'm a little surprised. Finish was pretty short - I'm going to say about 10-15 seconds at best, although I didn't make a conscious effort to time. It did get better as it opened up, but I'm not so sure it was worth the price. But I can see this complementing a steak very nicely, instead of begging to be the star. I have 3 single bottles from other vintages (2002, 2003, 2005) - purchased as a vertical 4some in Buffalo NY. Not sure if I'm going to do a vertical with the remaining ones or if I will take my own advise and enjoy with a steak. Maybe I'll do both.
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9/14/2010 - JS199 wrote: 89 Points
Similar notes. Just doesn't totally come together. Acidic and somewhat unbalanced.
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9/10/2010 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine but I think near end of its life. Drink now as it is getting softer with each bottle and losing its fruit.
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9/8/2010 - JS199 wrote: 87 Points
Started out well, but then went green and acidic. It doesn't taste balanced at all.
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7/31/2010 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 89 Points
Ncie wine but nothing special -- drink NOW!
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7/24/2010 - asaselzer Does not like this wine: 87 Points
least favorite of the tasting. still a good wine, however thin with no fruit and imbalanced acid against moderate tannins. cinq cepages vertical
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6/27/2010 - JS199 wrote: 90 Points
Showed a little better than previous bottles, but similar tasting note. Needs an hour to really get going.
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6/20/2010 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 89 Points
Great fruit and soft tannins.
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6/20/2010 - EileenB wrote: 93 Points
Very pleasant with steak, excellent QPR.
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6/11/2010 - wicozani wrote: 91 Points
Aired for 30 minutes prior to being poured. Dark (but not opaque) ruby in the glass, the classic nose is of cassis, dark cherry, currant, cedar and tobacco. Very smooth, almost velvety on the palate, with notes in keeping with the nose, along with a touch of mocha, this has excellent push through the mid-palate and on into a 20+ second finish. As this sat in the glass, it developed further for the better, with a gain in both body and tannic structure. By the 3-hour mark, this was still improving with the tannins still evolving. This was delicious with boneless ribeye steaks and sauteed mushrooms, and should be good for at least another several years. Glad to have a few more!
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4/14/2010 - JS199 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs. Same as previous tasting note.
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4/9/2010 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
I'm stunned by this. Eight months ago, I reviewed this as "ordinary". It is not anymore. I think the biggest difference is that I aired this bottle out for 8 hours prior to serving....today when I popped it, it was less compelling. "Aired out" was pouring a glass from the bottle and leaving the remainder open and uncorked.
After 8 hours....on the nose, cassis and licorice combine to give this a bit of a boozy character....subtle, and in a good way. On the palate, still comes across as relatively "primary" in terms of flavors, yet nearly resolved. Some residual tannins start to appear after this has been in the glass, but a very smooth and a subtle finish that lingers (haunts) for a long while. Much, much richer than when originally opened.
For now, let this one breath. It does seem to have both enough fruit and tannins to live on. With the right treatment, this drinks very well now, but I'm feeling no rush on the remaining bottles.
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4/4/2010 - BinVA wrote: 88 Points
Really nothing special about this bottle. Good drinking but nothing stands out. Last of the 4 I had and not going to seek out more.
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3/10/2010 - JS199 wrote: 89 Points
Good blend, smooth, lacking complexity to get it into the 90s. Drank over 1.5 hrs.
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2/9/2010 - Brett wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle.
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2/6/2010 - bonedoc wrote: 89 Points
nice wine, but lacking something - midpalate somewhat lean/vegetal.
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1/24/2010 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Nose is a little bit rough, but the taste is full of nice herbs. Nice balance. Drinking extremely well now!
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1/21/2010 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle in a month. Better showing than the first, beautiful nose. Seems to die off after a couple hours.
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1/13/2010 - t4drman wrote: 85 Points
A nice bottle of well balanced California Cab. I liked the smoothness of the wine, the full flavor, and very pleasant aromatics. For me, it displayed a nice earthy nose, that typical aroma you get with a good cabernet. The flavor, while not out of the ballpark displayed nice, dark, brooding fruits. For me, it's nice to have a cab that doesn't leave your mouth dry and your tongue shriveled. A nice bottle.
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12/28/2009 - 330america wrote: 91 Points
Easy drinker, decanted then aerated. Would buy again.
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12/25/2009 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 93 Points
Really impressed with this one! Worth waiting for, Christmas dinner with the folks. Had this after the Pride merlot magnum that dad opened and I think this blew it away. Amazing structure and balance.
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12/16/2009 - BinVA wrote: 88 Points
Nothing special. Better on day two but there are better bottles for the price.
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12/12/2009 - VCvino wrote: 91 Points
Coming into balance now. Tannins well integrated and wonderful nose. Medium body with nice depth and finish.
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11/22/2009 - Mallards wrote: 91 Points
Drinking perfectly. Lots of nice fruit - and very reminiscent of some of Cinq Cepages better year.
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9/29/2009 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
Black currant, blackberry and rasberry ar prominent in this wine. Wonderful balance and structure.
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9/27/2009 - fingers wrote: 90 Points
Still holding a perfect ruby color, 90% saturated. Mild and seductive aroma of raspberry and black currant, touches of mocha. Very smooth and is in it's junior stride at this age. Nearly gorgeous and wonderfully defined cab. Big, lingering finish. (5+11+17+7) = 90
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9/26/2009 - T.J.Burn wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby. Red fruit, cassis, and some cedar. Deep red fruits and some mocha and spice on the palate. Tannins are well-integrated, but this bottle still packed a punch. Much more full-bodied and rich than a bottle a friend brought a few months ago.
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9/8/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 89 Points
Note to self, read your previous notes on a wine before drinking it. Nose of blackberry, black currant, anise, cedar, spicy oak. On the palate blackberry, black cherry, mocha, spicy oak. Finishes with very stout tannins. Needs at least a couple more years. Excellent. Value not there.
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8/30/2009 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with prior notes, but tannins have dialed back a notch, leaving a smoother wine. Very good.
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8/22/2009 - Hollowleg wrote: 91 Points
Brought to a restaurant, popped & poured.
Great bottle. Even better than the last couple.
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8/15/2009 - vintage61 wrote: 90 Points
Cree and Saras for dinner. Good but not great. Restrained nose and palate, maybe the result of weak glasses. Good balance and srtucture. Try next bottle in better glass.
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8/13/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 89 Points
Seemed pretty ordinary.
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8/5/2009 - Mallards wrote: 93 Points
Stellar stuff - great tannin structure and drinking exceptionally well now. Please excuse me while I start drinking the rest of the case.
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4/17/2009 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
Really wonderful bottle of wine. Wonderful berries. A complete bordeaux blend that is well balanced. I think this could age a little longer. Dark purple with cherry nose.
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4/14/2009 - mcnfarmer wrote: 90 Points
This is a delicately balanced California Cab with beautiful color, deep fruit, character and complexity. We savored it w/ steaks off the grill - could not have been better. Never thought I'd say a $50 California Cab was good "value" (having bought them decades ago for far less), but this one rules. Recommended!
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4/4/2009 - bwillia wrote: 90 Points
Started out light and fruity and I was disappointed. Then with air it continued to add weight and structure. Then I was impressed. Alas after four hours it faded and became a bit hollow. But what a ride it was over the evening.
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3/27/2009 - bryon m wrote: 89 Points
I found this enjoyable, nothing wrong with it. Good color and body, fruit was still there. Nothing extrodinary, the wine is good for another year or so. Don't over pay for this one, it is not bad but not worth more than $25.
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1/29/2009 - MT3 wrote: 94 Points
Easily one of my favorite wines made by one of the best winemakers in the business. This true bordeaux stly blend with all five grapes is nothing short of spectacular. All varietal characteristics are represented, and are well balanced with the oak and tannins. ready to drink but will only get more complex with age. If you see a deal on it, go for it!!
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1/23/2009 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Pop & pour with smoked trout & pear/gorgonzola... upfront fruit, barnyard w/light mineral undertones and just a touch of currant and black pepper on the nose. Fully-integrated tannins were almost a surprise; thought this might still be just a touch muscular, but not so. Second glass showed more cherry notes with a really nice hint of mocha. I was surprised that this wine looked so young in the glass (ruby with no bricking at edges) but the tannins were fully-integrated; drinking window might only extend 5 more years. Another 30 minutes revealed blackberry on the nose. Not as stellar 96 or even 97, but a very nice expression of what CSJ can be. The slightly dominant oak I tasted several months ago has moved into the background, and there is absolutely no heat in this wine. Thank goodness they've gotten over their 96 reviews and priced this wine appropriately. Final quarter glass... beginning to turn just a little astringent at two hours open; I didn't have enough remaining in the bottle to wait & see if this passed, so can't comment on what might follow?
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1/19/2009 - GalvezGuy wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, mocha, anise, cedar. On the palate, black raspberry, mocha, cedar, spicy oak. Finished with stout tannins. Technically it had everything in balance but it left me wanting more of something. Excellent. Pass on value. Hold 2-3 years.
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1/10/2009 - WagesOfZin wrote: 90 Points
decanted 45 minutes prior to first taste. nicely balanced but restrained. not as expressive as one would hope. tannins were well integrated w/ blackberry, cassis, and chocolate on the palate. a pleasant drink but left me wanting for "more" of something. i would say the balance was its most outstanding quality. was looking for more expressiveness, complexity, finish length.......something.
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12/24/2008 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
Good bottle of wine but not the best I have ever had.
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12/6/2008 - jtt300 wrote: 91 Points
Nice berries, very smooth. good balance
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11/27/2008 - Coupe 60 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about 1.5 hours on Thanksgiving. then had with pasta and turkey thanksgiving dinner. Dark fruit, not over the top but enough for those that enjoy it. Wine had a nice mouthfeel, good texture and was fairly smooth. Pretty long finish, with just the slightest hint of bitterness. Well made wine that tasted good, it really was just lacking that extra oomph that made it great. Probably somewhere between 89-90, I'll call it a 90 'cause everyone else at dinner really liked it.
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11/1/2008 - Wink wrote: flawed
This is my fourth (and last) bottle of this wine. Every previous bottle has been WONDERFUL (low to mid 90's). This one was drinkable, but clearly not on a par with the others. I cannot discern a specific flaw such as TCA, brett, VA, oxidation, etc. It should not be past it's prime, but that is one possibility - at least in this particular bottle's microclimate. Or maybe it was just my palate tonight. Hard to say. Can't give a numerical rating.
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10/8/2008 - rartexas wrote:
Great Cab, smooth flavors but a little pricey
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9/20/2008 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 90 Points
Technically this wine has everything going for it. Color is strong and deep, showing no signs of age at this point. Nose is there, though quite subdued right now. Nice mouthfeel, good tannic structure, acid in balance, fruit coming through along with some other great tastes that are a bit undistinguishable as of yet. In a nutshell, this wine is currently pretty closed and sleeping, but I can tell that it has great potential. I think this is going to need AT LEAST 18 months to come around, perhaps even a bit longer than that. The 90 point score might be a bit generous right now, but I know how great this wine can be and I see the potential for greatness here, hence the generosity with the score.
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9/12/2008 - vintage72 wrote: 88 Points
never really opened up
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8/17/2008 - DenisLee wrote:
Nice nose. Nice wine. Stronger coming out of the blocks than finishing. I think that this is a very well made wine; a very nice effort. But I'm giving it a pass. I paid $50 for a wine that gave me $25 of enjoyment.
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8/10/2008 - ruddy wrote: 88 Points
I suppose this will get a bit better, and it has a bit more character (brambly, cedary notes) than the forgettable 2003. Not a lot of structure (compared to the '04 or '1) so I wouldn't expect it to improve beyond very good.
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7/14/2008 - MWes wrote: 91 Points
This has definitely improved since the last time I drank it 8 months ago. Decanted fo 1.5 hours prior to drinking. Definite flavors of Plum and dark cherries as mentioned by others. I really enjoyed this wine and can see it continuing to get better over the next couple of years.
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7/12/2008 - bingedrinker wrote: 90 Points
Overshadowesolid d by other wines served, slightly chalky and bitter tannins, but still a solid, well constructed cali meritage.
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7/5/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 91 Points
Nice ripe raspberry and anise on the nose, with nice balance of fruit an acidity on the palate. Could stand another year or so of age to round things out.
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6/22/2008 - RPerro wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours, then poured back into the bottle for the trip to Jeff's Sunday Dinner. BEAUTIFUL nose of black fruit and violets. Flavors of blackberry preserves and flowers, with a long, tasty finish of cherry and oak. Very smooth, and the decant made the wine relax. Extremely tasty and drinking great right now. All at the dinner party agreed, a very enjoyable wine.
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6/21/2008 - AzorianMatador wrote: 92 Points
Solid. This wine is really beginning to flesh out with age. Coats the mouth with cassis, dark fruit, with a touch of smoke and green herbs.
Consumed with grilled pork loin and didn't last long. 92+
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3/15/2008 - Jason wrote: flawed
corked
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3/10/2008 - zblang wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine. I've always been a big fan of the Cinq Cepages (at the right price - $75 is way too much). First night this was hot as hades - way to much alcohol and little fruit showing. Day two the deep red fruits started showing. Nice plum and deep dark cherry flavors. Needs a few more years to lose some of the heat and to allow the fruit to integrate more evenly. If you have a few bottles, give it a whirl - if not, hang onto them and you'll be rewarded.
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2/22/2008 - rockguit wrote: 90 Points
Very nice California cab. Black fruit integrated with a little oak. Soft tannins, nice finish.
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2/9/2008 - Garfield wrote: 89 Points
Cedary and tannic, this wine needs a couple more years to develope. The black and red fruits were more prominent on day two.
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2/1/2008 - DTWOB wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful, smooth bottle of wine. Great nose, fantastic taste, long finish - what else could one want?
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1/5/2008 - rtmcandrew wrote: 91 Points
Wonderfull lustious fruit. Deep and full color. Was delecate and delightful.
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12/30/2007 - JOJ wrote: 92 Points
Rich nose of blackberry, blueberry, and wet earth. On the palate, a pure beam of dark cherry, boysenberry, and blackberry. Tannis grip pretty hard and add a drying aspect. Finishes slightly raiseny. Very good now, and still young. Should improve over time.
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12/29/2007 - atun53 wrote: 91 Points
Good to go for another 5 year. Most of the oak has integrated. Nice flavours of cherries, graphite starting to show. Has a nice bourdeaux flovor.
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12/26/2007 - jdbcolumbus wrote: 90 Points
Red and Black fruits on the nose. Slightly disjointed on the balance but should even out over time. Nice finish.
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12/5/2007 - PinotFan wrote:
Served with skirt steak, pop and pour. Not overly impressed or disappointed. A solid deal at $37 at winestilsoldout.com, but nothing I will track down in the future.
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11/24/2007 - King Cab wrote: 91 Points
Pretty medium ruby color. Thwe nose is all about casis and blackberry with some anise. Quite intense. The palate reveals beautiful pure cabernet qualities of currant, sweet dark fruits, wonderful slight cocoa, and tar. There is a very intense oak quality but this has the fruit to carry it. If I have any complaint its the somewhat high acid level, but its negligable. This is a very elegant intense bottle of wine. A superb finish brings it all home. This was a wonderful deal at $37.00 from Winestilsoldout.com.
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11/10/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML89-91?
Tasted November 10, 2007 at an offline. Tight nose giving way to some notes of plums when not trounced upon by the oaky/vanilla like aromas. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold.
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11/3/2007 - Brett wrote: 90 Points
Nice earth tones, great dark color.
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10/20/2007 - Philly-O wrote: 88 Points
Followed a 2003 Silver Oak Cab Sav. Good nose and finish. Appropriate quality for this QPR but seemed one dimensional with all fruit
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10/14/2007 - b2emarkets wrote: 88 Points
Very nice bottle of wine but not worth $50.
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9/26/2007 - Mallards wrote: 91 Points
We have been trying some of our 2002's to judge their staying power. This wine will be solid for another 2 years minimum. Good structure, nice tannins and very pleasant now, but will absolutely get better with age. Will report back in 2009 on how it is doing.
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6/23/2007 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
The nose of this wine was unrevealing for quite a while. It never did offer up more than dark fruits. This wine was very well balanced, and had a very smooth mouthfeel. It just didn't have enough to offer to get me excited.
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6/13/2007 - Tad GW wrote: 91 Points
A tremendously smoothe wine that was a little more velvety than I like. Still it was a beautifully made and delicious wine.
50+5+12+16+8=91
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5/4/2007 - grossie wrote: 89 Points
About $39 at Costco. Dark red. Smoky/charred nose with a good cabernet sweetness and a little jazz on it. Medium to full bodied, it shows nice round fruit and a good mineral/herbal side. Fine tannins, and acidity to hold it up. Overall I find this a structured balanced wine but not a blockbuster. It's missing an extra umph to get me excited.
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5/3/2007 - Hollowleg wrote: 90 Points
After three hours of decanting & some time in the glass the nose developed hints of vanilla, tea & fruit...just fantastic. I also noted some structure this time in the mouth. I could really taste scorched earth & ripe fruit along with the oak on the back end. With air this wine really comes alive. This is truly an outstanding wine.
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4/21/2007 - win wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at large dinner party. Minimal notes. 89-91
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4/21/2007 - wineismylife wrote:
Dallas Offline - April 2007 (MikeB's house in North Dallas, TX): WIMLNR,WA92,WS84
Tasted April 21, 2007 at an offline. Tasted from a Spiegelau Authentus Magnum glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose is closed and giving up nothing. Primary flavors of red cherries and red berries. Light to medium acidity, firm tannins, light to medium body. Obviously needs to be held and allowed to develop in the bottle. No rating.
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4/10/2007 - calcedo wrote: 92 Points
delicious, smooth on the palate with lots of flavor in the mouth and an elegant finish. very good fruit balance.
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3/28/2007 - texaswino wrote: 90 Points
Not bad but not great either. lacks a little in complexity and the finish is short. Nice currant and cassis flavors are tasty and pleasing but not deep or outstanding. Some herb and mocha on the smooth finish. I was hoping for a bit more.
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3/24/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 80 Points
Deep purple at first glance, thin high heat very tannic wine that had little fruit sex or appeal...Drank fro two bottles at the Palm with Namp folks
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3/4/2007 - Hollowleg wrote: 90 Points
Had at a tasting in March & I don't agree with the drinking window here. The '02's are very approachable now, especially when compared to the '01's. Comparatively the '02's lack the complexity of the better Cinq vintages. I also don't think the '02's will have the shelf life of the others. Most likely I'll polish off the half case I have of the '02's before I open another '01.
Regarding the wine, I noted a nice balance between the fruit & oak, though I thought this vintage was slightly sweeter than vintages past. I also noted how quickley the nose appeared, though not of the '96 or '99 ilk. I also didn't notice any real secondary flavors coming through, and the finish was only a few seconds long. When I open a bottle at home I'll decant for at least one hour to see if this wine can possibly evolve further. Rating: 89 - 92 (?)
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3/4/2007 - 97mjr wrote:
bad bottle
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3/3/2007 - codewheeney wrote: 91 Points
A extraordinary wine for a nice dinner. Decanted and it opened up nicely. Perfect with Lamb Shank with "Moroccan" spices, and also very good with first course onion tart and salad (all at Coup des Tartes). Barely worth the high price, but outstanding none the less.
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2/20/2007 - bigkhna wrote: 91 Points
A very drinkable wine with great flavor
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2/17/2007 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
Okay, it may not be a landmark -- the finish and complexity are on the short and simple side -- but I still think some of the critics have underrated this. It's tight and slightly tannic at first, but ultimately it gives way to show classic cassis and blackcurrant, mocha, and a nice touch of mint (as someone mentioned earlier). It's neither overripe nor too hot. It's simply well-structured, well-balanced, pleasing, and not too terribly priced at about $45 (courtesy of Costco). And, potentially, another few years in the cellar could move this one up a further point or two.
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2/15/2007 - Surferdude wrote: 90 Points
A nice wine, but it didn't knock me out like the 02 Shafer Cab for the same price, 50ish.
It may fair better with some more time on it's side.
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1/21/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 88 Points
Blueberry and smoke on the nose. Nice juicy fruit with wonderful finish. Should age well. Nose was not my style.
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1/1/2007 - codewheeney wrote: 93 Points
New Years Trip
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12/1/2006 - 97mjr wrote: 92 Points
Dark concentrated fruit, mint, cedar. Nice balance, accessible. Dependable and a good value
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11/26/2006 - MWes wrote: 89 Points
On the nose, I get black fruit and a hint of butterscotch. The taste was oak, fruit and tannins. The finish was very short. A very good wine but, there are better ones out there for the price. I have one bottle left and willl wait a while before opening.
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11/24/2006 - g-man wrote: 89 Points
Not as bad as Laube said but I don't see at this point what Parker was excited about. Over two days it took on a caramel/sweet oak quality. I'll hold off for a couple of years before I try again.
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11/10/2006 - DaveArsenault wrote: 93 Points
This was a great bottle of wine
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10/10/2006 - CSvensonSangio wrote: 89 Points
Drank this weekend at a friends house in Sausalito hill to watch the Blue Angels/fleet week. Great wine, and still so young. Potential here is huge. Happy to be saving 2 more bottles of this and may buy a few more, as I get a great deal on them. Nose was too alcoholic at first, but bloomed within 15-20 minutes with some air. Flavor was dominated by blackberry/currant, slight blood-orange, and a tiny bit of raspberry. Everyone enjoyed this tremendously.
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10/1/2006 - jjclips2 wrote: 90 Points
Odom Tasting (Marxx Bros.): Huge, tight, tanninc black beast. Nice acidity, black currant and cherry fruits, and well integrated oak. Will probably age gracefully. Finishes wit a slight hint of smoke and tobacco as it opens up. Liked the '03 Oroppas tasted prior to this better, but this will be nice in a few more years. Disappointed, however, about the price increases this one has taken over the years. Had a 1995 with the sticker still intact with a price of $21.99. Now, at least up here, it is fetching close to $100, unfortunately with the same quality. QPR is on the decline.
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9/24/2006 - ihavezinned wrote: 91 Points
Big upfront fruit. Intense flavors of plum, cherry and mocha. Mellowed after about an hour, but not much. I loved this wine.
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7/30/2006 - Sausalito wrote:
Very good. We had with the Brasied Spanish chicken recipe. Held up very well to the spices in the recipe. Certainly a great value at the $50 ish price point. Good thing about the Cinq is the lack of that crappy tanic secondary taste.
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12/20/2005 - rloomis wrote: 89 Points
rum-raisin, cranberry, black pipe tobacco.
ittle stemmy and tannic calzin fruit with black casis flavours.
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10/29/2005 - rloomis wrote:
cassis/currant, cranberry, pipe tobacco dense and rich
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