This wine was singing tonight and appears to have another decade of life left. Fruit was deep yet nicely mature and dry. Subtle complexity of tobacco, cocoa and vanilla cobbler. Some nice red fruit streaking through the dark cherry and cassis. Nice nose reflecting the palate. Nice lively finish. Awesome bargain from WineBid years ago.
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Drinking fab! Popped a bottle at (appropriately) Two Birds/One Stone...gorgeous nose, rich cassis and blue/black fruits...well-balanced and all so lively for a 20+ yo vino. Old school lives...well
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Medium to full bodied, dark garnet colored, tightly wound and firm yet nicely balanced, smooth and polished, concentrated black currant and black raspberry fruits highlighted by tones of black tea, tobacco, kirsch, graphite and notes of cola, anise and oak on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
Part of a fabulous New Years flight including a 1997 horizontal of Freemark Abbey Sycamore, Bosche' and the estate Napa Cab. The Sycamore was lighter in color than the Bosche but there was only the slightest touch of bricking at the rim. This was hugely representative of Sycamore. A floral, Margaux like nose. Lots of bright strawberry and raspberry with a hint of cola. Medium bodied and finish.
A fascinating comparison of three distinctly different wines with a clearly shared heritage. Part is the common vintage, part is the Rutherford AVA but in my opinion the key to the profile is the good work and longevity of winemaker Ted Edwards.
Drinking really well. Silky texture, medium body and typical cab red fruits. Lively acidity and sweet tannins give depth and freshness.Better night #1 than #2. Some complexity with spice, smoke. A refined wine.
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For me the highlight of the Easter Eve flight consisting of 2001 Halo and a 2007 Ruston Cuvee Simone. Medium garnet colored. Full robust bodied with forest floor, strawberry, rspberry and cherry on the palate. A bit of smokiness and a long lingering finish.
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Garnet color with notes of smoke, moss and forest floor on the nose. Opened tight and needed more than 60 minutes to reveal layers of dark fruit, chocolate and mushroom. Drinking well now but will last another 5 years easily. An interesting comparison as we tasted side by side with a 1999 Sycamore. The 99 was a deeper indigo color and more fruit forward but lacking some of the layers and complexity of the 97.
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Big fruity nose. Some strawberry jam and some cherries. Still full of fruit and tasting very young. Heat on the nose. Mouthfeel very nice. Cocoa on the palate. Sweet on the body with soft round tannins. Long finish. Hard to believe this is a 1997. Pdq93+
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Full wonderful strong presense of wood, melded red fruit and tar. Even with decanting, this offering still had a prolonged and smooth finish on the end. Wish I had another bottle to taste in another 3 years. This is still evolving. Happy to see the '97's still holding up....
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Love the old style of Freemark Abbey, this was a great wine. Nice fruit still very strong, decanted for about an hour. Wish they still made them like this.
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My last bottle of this too! Delicious and showing very well still. Opened and drank 2 hours, no decant as it showed well from the bottle. Color: Dark red, ruby edges Nose: Rich cherries and red currants, some spice and a touch of age. Palate: Youthful fruit still reamins, tannins are supple and soft. Full of cherries, currants, cedar and some sage in the background. Supple fine tannins finish this off quite nicely!
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Needed a long time to open and when it did it was still dark, tannic and bit tart but showed did show some class. Do not think this wine will last long and needs to be drank soon.
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2 hours decant. Deep ruby. Lots of cedar aroma with hints of cherry, tobacco and some heat. On the palate, dark fruits & cedar with fine tannins and showing some heat at the back of the mouth. Medium-full bodied. Palate is better than the nose suggest's. Hopefully the heat tones down with some cellar time. 50+4+12+17+7=90.
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This was one of the better Cabs that was poured at the DiCarlo tasting. Nice cedar and berry nose. Full bodied. Rich ripe fruit with a well rounded structure. Firm tannins. Could use some more time. 92+ points.
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4/2/2019 - Dmax808 wrote: 92 Points
Got at auction. Little too sweet for my tastes but still a lot of fruit and diminished tannins.
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12/21/2018 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine was singing tonight and appears to have another decade of life left. Fruit was deep yet nicely mature and dry. Subtle complexity of tobacco, cocoa and vanilla cobbler. Some nice red fruit streaking through the dark cherry and cassis. Nice nose reflecting the palate. Nice lively finish. Awesome bargain from WineBid years ago.
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11/5/2017 - zoeldar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking fab! Popped a bottle at (appropriately) Two Birds/One Stone...gorgeous nose, rich cassis and blue/black fruits...well-balanced and all so lively for a 20+ yo vino. Old school lives...well
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12/31/2015 - rmcnees wrote: 92 Points
Medium to full bodied, dark garnet colored, tightly wound and firm yet nicely balanced, smooth and polished, concentrated black currant and black raspberry fruits highlighted by tones of black tea, tobacco, kirsch, graphite and notes of cola, anise and oak on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/01/freemark-abbey-cabernets-1997-vintage.html
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12/31/2015 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
Part of a fabulous New Years flight including a 1997 horizontal of Freemark Abbey Sycamore, Bosche' and the estate Napa Cab. The Sycamore was lighter in color than the Bosche but there was only the slightest touch of bricking at the rim. This was hugely representative of Sycamore. A floral, Margaux like nose. Lots of bright strawberry and raspberry with a hint of cola. Medium bodied and finish.
A fascinating comparison of three distinctly different wines with a clearly shared heritage. Part is the common vintage, part is the Rutherford AVA but in my opinion the key to the profile is the good work and longevity of winemaker Ted Edwards.
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6/5/2014 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well. Silky texture, medium body and typical cab red fruits. Lively acidity and sweet tannins give depth and freshness.Better night #1 than #2. Some complexity with spice, smoke. A refined wine.
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4/19/2014 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
For me the highlight of the Easter Eve flight consisting of 2001 Halo and a 2007 Ruston Cuvee Simone. Medium garnet colored. Full robust bodied with forest floor, strawberry, rspberry and cherry on the palate. A bit of smokiness and a long lingering finish.
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5/22/2013 - DQuinn wrote: 93 Points
Nice dark fruit, chocolate, and some dust. Well integrated, layered and complex, drinking perfect now; why wait.
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11/24/2012 - wconnolly wrote: 90 Points
This was not as good as the last bottle. See my notes from 07/14/12.
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7/14/2012 - wconnolly wrote: 92 Points
Garnet color with notes of smoke, moss and forest floor on the nose. Opened tight and needed more than 60 minutes to reveal layers of dark fruit, chocolate and mushroom. Drinking well now but will last another 5 years easily. An interesting comparison as we tasted side by side with a 1999 Sycamore. The 99 was a deeper indigo color and more fruit forward but lacking some of the layers and complexity of the 97.
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5/18/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Big fruity nose. Some strawberry jam and some cherries. Still full of fruit and tasting very young. Heat on the nose. Mouthfeel very nice. Cocoa on the palate. Sweet on the body with soft round tannins. Long finish. Hard to believe this is a 1997. Pdq93+
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4/26/2011 - rjohns57 wrote: 90 Points
Tasted on the edge
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1/8/2011 - Shoomon wrote: 92 Points
Full mouth feel with notes of tar, licorice and currant. Still can hold for a couple more years.
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1/3/2011 - Shoomon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Full wonderful strong presense of wood, melded red fruit and tar. Even with decanting, this offering still had a prolonged and smooth finish on the end. Wish I had another bottle to taste in another 3 years. This is still evolving. Happy to see the '97's still holding up....
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6/17/2009 - ejca wrote:
Love the old style of Freemark Abbey, this was a great wine. Nice fruit still very strong, decanted for about an hour. Wish they still made them like this.
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2/15/2009 - tkoby11 wrote:
My last bottle of this too! Delicious and showing very well still.
Opened and drank 2 hours, no decant as it showed well from the bottle.
Color: Dark red, ruby edges
Nose: Rich cherries and red currants, some spice and a touch of age.
Palate: Youthful fruit still reamins, tannins are supple and soft. Full of cherries, currants, cedar and some sage in the background. Supple fine tannins finish this off quite nicely!
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12/24/2008 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, delicious cherry fruit with cedar flavors, very dry, classic Rutherford dust, tannins still strong, nice finish
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10/5/2008 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
no formal notes. nose - spice. mouth - fruit and choclate.
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3/30/2008 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 88 Points
Needed a long time to open and when it did it was still dark, tannic and bit tart but showed did show some class. Do not think this wine will last long and needs to be drank soon.
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4/3/2005 - blocsin wrote: 90 Points
2 hours decant. Deep ruby. Lots of cedar aroma with hints of cherry, tobacco and some heat. On the palate, dark fruits & cedar with fine tannins and showing some heat at the back of the mouth. Medium-full bodied. Palate is better than the nose suggest's. Hopefully the heat tones down with some cellar time. 50+4+12+17+7=90.
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11/1/2003 - jmcmchi wrote:
Correct bramble and cedar on nose, rather sweeter on palate than on nose, but enough acidityand dusty tannins to offset.
Very pleasant and a step up from the NV
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10/8/2003 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
This was one of the better Cabs that was poured at the DiCarlo tasting. Nice cedar and berry nose. Full bodied. Rich ripe fruit with a well rounded structure. Firm tannins. Could use some more time. 92+ points.
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