The fruit may be diminishing a bit with the age of this bottle, but it is still very well balanced with a lot of interesting notes, as others have mentioned, of earth, cigar box, and some spice. Bottle was a little cold when first opened and the tannins were strangling the fruit a bit, but it turned out perfectly as it warmed over the course of dinner.
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The bright fruits have started to diminish slightly, taking on a sense of overripe, raisin tones, and starting to give way to the non-fruit notes of tea and cigar box. The spicy tones of the Cabernet Franc are starting to show through. That said, the same profile remains from earlier tasting ...
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors (starting to fade) of black berry, cherry and currants with (increasing predominant) tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
This is the oldest of ten vintages we hold of this wine and is the last bottle from this year. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend. At fourteen years its likely at the apex of its tasting window/curve.
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors of black berry, cherry and currants with tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
Allred left this in the wine fridge at our cottage about 2 years ago and we finally got around to drinking it when he, LostVerse and their wives came up last weekend. A dirty wine. Notes of rustic fruit including plum with forest floor, oak and charcoal mixed in. Past it's peak at 11 years old but only starting on it's way down. I liked the 2000 and 2001 Uriahs much better. 87-88 points
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Chocolate and black fruit- currants and plum, perhaps some licorice too. Still a bit tannic. Flavors of cinnamon candies, blackberry, bitter chocolate, and plum.
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Violents, raspberries, cherry and spices. The nose is subtle and the palate kicks things into high gear with spices, minerals and darker fruits. Medium finish and this wine has aged well. Drink now - 2014.
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Tried Pop N Pouring an '01 of this 45 minutes earlier but that turned out a huge disappointment. This was only a big disappointment, as Uriah has almost invariably given pleasure and satisfaction over the many years I've been drinking it. No problem with color (ruby/purple) and there was the usual sludge/crust that you have to be careful with when pouring. Nice nose of plums/cherries resulting in a rather dry cherry/berry extract that some out there might find welcome but did little for me. Popped an '01 Dutschke, Oscar Semmler and settled for what it had to offer. Didn't want to expend the 25 minute round trip to the wine storage to cop another bottle that might not do anything either. Maybe my palate's *%@*&'up and this is all just a temporary aberration.
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Oh my gosh this was good and exceeded my expectations. This was a well cellared wine for reference and my experience says it has two to three years of slow peaking left. Great WA Bordeaux blend from a warmer year. Concentrated, complex, with most components in harmony (slight alcohol).
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Thick wine, lots of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, and cola. Fruit forward, seemed quite extracted and oaked which moved the score down a notch. No sign of decline, but think this is at its peak.
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CT Secret Santa Gift - Popped, poured a little off, and aired for about three hours (as recommended by Mr. Claus). Drank from two glasses - a Reidel O Series Cab/Merlot glass and a generic wide-mouthed red wine bowl/goblet. Color was an opaque red, maybe a little cloudy. Nose was very expressive and had lots of flowers, cherry, vanilla, eucalyptus, and some hints of chocolate. This is just a few - it just kept coming at you. Incredible! Palate had strong tannins. They did subside over time, but interestingly they were less conspicuous in the cheap generic glass from the start (though so were the aromas - I guess it's a trade off). Anyway, strong tannins but very well balanced and very drinkable. Not for the faint-hearted, though. I suspect it will mellow with more time, but I don't know that the richness of the nose can last. Medium long finish. I nearly finished the bottle by myself, which is unheard of in this house. (4+14+17+8)
Note: I am not just being kind. This is really a great wine.
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Popped and gave it 30-min in my glass before trying. This is the 3rd bottle I've opened of 6 and all have had a smear of red up one side of the cork - disconcerting. The color is murky and I see some bricking in dark burgundy liquid. The bouquet is musty as of damp dirt. It showed some mulling strawberries on opening but has since declined into the olfactory stamp of ancient ruins. Hiding beneath the stones are scents of cherry pit and squeezed black olives. I also get a sense of maderization and some port reduction caramel. The palate is far more expressive (and hot) than I expected or recall from previous tastings (though there I had decanted). Sweet cherry flavors mingle with dusty earth and anise root. This full bodied Merlot-based red exhibits an endowed mid-palate (showing plenty of tasty blackberry) that turns creamy from a well integrated oak influence. The medium+ length finish fades from sweet to bitter with leather, crushed olive pits and even sweet/sour red currant. Alcohol heat really shows at this point, and I believe this ill effect might improve with a good 1-2 hour decant session. I'm really happy with this bottle and it's showing better than others I've tried in the not so recent past. The mouthfeel is almost there. This is a fine example of a US-WA Bordeaux blend; it's quintessential Merlot of the sunnier kind. Good stuff...now?!?
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This was delicious, full of ripe blackcherry and blackcurrant fruit. Nice hints of complexity as well as a really long juicy finish. Went great with a steak. Drinking about peak.
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Tasted currents and blackberry on the nose. Allison liked this bottle especially the chocolate and plum. I thought it was a bit oaky but it had good balance and a nice finish. Not sure if I would pay $45 for another bottle but overall it was good
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Last bottle of a case. Opened two hours before dinner. Shows abundant fruit and floral aromas. Dark concentrated wine with lots of complex flavors and a long finish. This has definitely gotten better. Outstanding right now.
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Minneapolis Wine Club Merlot Challenge (B. Long's House): Medium purple. Nose was shut down but opened up after areation. Cherry, vanilla, and spice are the central feature of this Meritiage Blend. Nothing bad or great about this wine but I have to give it a 90 for potential with 3 more years of aging.
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Minneapolis Wine Club 3/06/10: Nose: Dark fruits and anise. Palate: Dark fruits show with major spice. Interesting wine but a fair amount of alcohol heat on the finish keeps this under 90 pts.
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Kind of dull and lifeless right now and I am not sure what that means for the future of this wine. Nose of oak, sweet phenol and hints of cherry fruit, the wine does not have much zip on the palate. Some chocolate, red berry, drying tannins. Three left and I am not optimistic.
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I opened this wine in part because of many of the other reviews on this site, indicating that it is getting to be past its prime. I agree with that sentiment, but disagree somewhat on the urgency to drink it. This is still a good wine, and I wouldn't tell someone to open it if they're not prepared to.
That said, it did not taste as sharp as it did when it was released. If you've got this wine in your cellar still, it should be bottle you open next time you're looking to indulge yourself with a fine wine-- but that doesn't necessarily have to be tonight.
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I liked this bottle marginally better than the previous (1/28/2010). There is decent fruit, but (as before) it is buried beneath an unnecessarily thick layer of oak. The dark plum, chocolate, and blueberry is there, but seems imprisoned in oak, screaming to be let free. It is possible, I suppose, that this was more balanced a couple of years ago and that the fruit has just faded. That is hard to fathom, as the quality of the fruit is good...it's not tired or faded...just overwhelmed.
had it side-by-side with the '04. no competition. on its own, it's a nice bottle to drink upon popping. but this confirmed it's going the other way. maybe it's the large % of merlot, dunno. but it is nowhere near it's former self. i'lll drink the rest i have on their own. soon. very soon. nose is empty. where did the fruit go?
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The fruity nose and palate of blackcurrant, plum, and cherry is very deceiving. It seems that it is tightly integrated with tannin. The fact that this is 77% merlot, with the bullk of the remainder being cab franc, led me to expect a refined, balanced, and "Bordeaux-ish" blend. Not. With repeated tasting and some air, it is clear that this is over oaked. I mean OVER OAKED. I don't know if they throw oak chips or tannin powder in the mix, but after half a glass and 30 min of air, this is about as "manufactured" a wine as I've had in a long time. Reminds me of a chipped/powdered McManis travesty. The "big print" says, "love me, I'm a fruit bomb." The fine print says, "ha ha, gotcha." Given Steiman's high score, I should have known.
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this one is interesting. has always been a personal favorite. but i suspect it is potentially at its peak or just past. recall it to be in top 50 ever, not now. still legit, but, after 45 min decant, lacked the pop i am acustomed to. drink now. fruit falling off. still a treat, reasonably balanced, but not as impressive as try in '08.
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Spring Valley wines continue to disappoint me with age on them. There is so much VA in this wine it was hard to handle. Behind the VA and acetone there was some light choco, orange peel, wheat and some red fruits but this was really in a bad spot right now.
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Liked the wine but a major pazzzzzzzzz at $50! Nice plum, ripe red fruit, eucalyptus, and vanilla on the nose. More red ripe fruit on the palate along with some chocolate but not much else. Lacking any secondary flavors. Will probably never purchase SV again, just not worth the $ and continually disappointed with the way they age. Had better $20 blends from BDX and WA.
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Solid, perhaps a little closed right now but certainly capable of opening again. Deep purple berry nose, with top note of oak. Flavors of blueberry, anise, hint of sweetness. Tannins are running the show now so it may need a bit to get these back in balance with the fruit, which is still ample and well able to re-emerge. I am guessing this will look a lot better in 12-18 months. One of the last wines made by Devin Derby before his tragic, untimely death.
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Day 1, would give this an 84. Dark purple, monolithic nose, strong fruit made it acceptable, but it was disjointed and hot on the finish. What a big change on day 2. The nose gave cedar, mint, tobacco and some cocoa, the palate had a nice mix of flavors with a finish that lasted 20 seconds or so; the heat was still a bit there, but not as predominant as the night before. I would give this a couple more years, if the fruit can hang in there, this could balance out fine.
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Nice bottle! Detected nice blackberry and maybe slight red currant on the nose as well as the sometimes mentioned "wheat" component. It was a bit tight on the initial service, but it spent the rest of the day in the decanter and it openned up. This was my first bottle of their wine I decanted myself. I had always tasted at the winery or the farm. As such the tannins were much more subdued (of coursethe bottle age of a few years helped that as well). I loved the nose and could honestly just sniff the empty glass for quite some time! Nice effort!
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1.5 hr. decant at time of initial tasting; deep crimson color. The cork on this 2nd of 6 bottles is as red-splattered as the original bottle, which leaves me questioning the quality of my supplier as these were shipped through good weather. Bordeaux-like nose that clears the sinuses, carrying forward wafts of dark plum and cream enjoyed along side a rain wet pavement; ah, and finally I get a blackberry pie center that's quite a delight; some briariness in the background too. This nose is fairly complex and seems to have shifted around some over the past 10 minutes I've spent with it. This is a little too hot on the back-end, which is bothering me some. It also has me questioning the dirty cork. The input on this wine is more astringent and tannic than the output. I get a lot of blackberry/plum fruit jam on the long finish but the first two-thirds of the ride is an amalgamation of anise, bitter cherry, and menthol with loads of tannins. I'd like to say this was more polished, but it's not and the heat is a little off-putting. I'm torn -- it tears me not to know whether these bottles have been cooked, if only slightly. Still, there is really pure fruit and some decent complexity here. I also feel, given the level of tannins, this could mellow some with time. Unfortunately, it may just as well fall apart at the seams by that time. Right now: 90-91 pts I think. Mellowed out some on day2 (alc not as present, softer, more fruit-forward); leaning more towards the 91 pts now. Stored at cellar-temp w/ vacuum on bottle.
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huge bummer. Have had a case of this in the past and it was AWESOME! Unfortunately this btl was all nail polish and dry cherries and alc! maybe bottle shock from the 3hr drive but we gave it a day to recoop and no dice!
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Nice evenly balanced wine with a long finish. Silky notes of vanilla and dark fruits with just a hint of tannin. Probably didn't let it sit long enough to be able to show it's full potential.
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Super duper nose, somewhat light in color relative to the nose but still nice. Nose of smoky dark fruit, plums, roasted red pepper, blackberry and cream. One of those wines I could just sniff for a week. Refined tannins and a long finish. This has really evolved since my last tasting 7 months ago and I think time in the decanter is essential at this point in its evolution. I am going to have to find more of these...94+
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Open, into decanter and pour. Just a little sediment, cork was perfect. Opaque purple fading to dark pink on the edges. Big, smoky, dark fruit nose, with a tiny bit of heat. Screams smokey blueberry and raspberry on the attack, with mild tannins and some lively acidity to balance the blue/red fruit. Finishes with hints of pepper and juicy blackberry. Long, silky, finish with a little menthol skittering around the edges. Gorgeous Bordeaux blend. This will be sublime in three to four years, but drinking beautiful right now. Hard to wait....
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A chewy wine with loads of dark fruit and loads of ripe tannin. Great nose promises good things. Needs some time to open up. Should develop very nicely with a few years of cellar time. 92+
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old world style blend with moderate fruts and some vegetal flavors; nice floral aroma; tannins still active; it was better with the gnocchi and white cheese sauce than with the bbq rib eye (with or without the bbq sauce); still needs time; not sure it is worth the price unless it improves with time
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Very nice Bourdeaux style blend with smooth supple texture, not overbearing dark fruit with gentle tanins improved with decanting for about 2 hours. Wish I had more than one more bottle that I will cellar for at least another year!
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Delicious. Drank at Mom and Dads on Christmas with beef tenderloin. Going to sit on my other bottle for a year or two as the tannins were still a bit much.
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Very high rating for tremendous wine. This is from Washington State? Amazing....I had France all over it when I tasted it. Terrific from first sip. This will be wonderful for years to come. Great jam start; amazing fruit middle and 90 second+ earth finish -- very sublime.
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The cork on this bottle and on one before we both concerning in appearance. A bit sludgy (very gross looking). After having the bottle open for about an hour, the wine, to my surprise, was actually very enjoyable.
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To date the best wine i've ever had. Very expressive nose, vibrant on the palate and finish and just doesn't seem to stop. Tons of dark fruit, dark purple in the glass, perfect balance, beautiful velvety mouth feel (probably not a 98pt wine in all actuality but for me at that point in my wine drinking experiences it was probably 100pts, this wine still hold a special place in my heart as to what a really quality wine was and is to this day one of my all time favorites and favorite memories)
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10/27/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Allred. Better than when I last had this 3 years ago. Notes of milky red fruit, spices and firm tannins. 92 points.
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9/18/2017 - Bonsingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
The fruit may be diminishing a bit with the age of this bottle, but it is still very well balanced with a lot of interesting notes, as others have mentioned, of earth, cigar box, and some spice. Bottle was a little cold when first opened and the tannins were strangling the fruit a bit, but it turned out perfectly as it warmed over the course of dinner.
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8/26/2017 - AllRed wrote:
Cellar diminishment party.
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12/3/2016 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 89 Points
The bright fruits have started to diminish slightly, taking on a sense of overripe, raisin tones, and starting to give way to the non-fruit notes of tea and cigar box. The spicy tones of the Cabernet Franc are starting to show through. That said, the same profile remains from earlier tasting ...
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors (starting to fade) of black berry, cherry and currants with (increasing predominant) tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/12/spring-valley-vineyard-uriah-red.html
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9/22/2016 - GA_Seattle wrote:
wine is past. still drinkable, but not much there
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7/11/2015 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great, dusty, Walla Walla gem. This one will hold for another couple of years, easy! Very structured for a merlot-dominated blend.
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2/21/2015 - TwoDogs wrote: flawed
Hoping our 3 remaining bottles still have life to them.
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2/8/2015 - rmcnees wrote: 90 Points
This is the oldest of ten vintages we hold of this wine and is the last bottle from this year. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend. At fourteen years its likely at the apex of its tasting window/curve.
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors of black berry, cherry and currants with tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/02/del-dotto-gio-tuscan-reserve-spring.html
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8/15/2014 - Vino Me wrote: 89 Points
Allred left this in the wine fridge at our cottage about 2 years ago and we finally got around to drinking it when he, LostVerse and their wives came up last weekend. A dirty wine. Notes of rustic fruit including plum with forest floor, oak and charcoal mixed in. Past it's peak at 11 years old but only starting on it's way down. I liked the 2000 and 2001 Uriahs much better. 87-88 points
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8/15/2014 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points
Chocolate and black fruit- currants and plum, perhaps some licorice too. Still a bit tannic. Flavors of cinnamon candies, blackberry, bitter chocolate, and plum.
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6/1/2014 - skifree wrote: 90 Points
Classic WW blend, lots of red and black fruit, low acid, tannic spine, satin mouth feel and finish. Better than I remembered.
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4/25/2014 - MoreWinePlease wrote: 90 Points
Much better bottle than the last one I tasted over a year ago.
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2/9/2014 - Dseveride wrote: 94 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Satin-Like texture with a long finish.
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2/9/2014 - Dseveride wrote:
- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish.
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12/19/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Violents, raspberries, cherry and spices. The nose is subtle and the palate kicks things into high gear with spices, minerals and darker fruits. Medium finish and this wine has aged well. Drink now - 2014.
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10/19/2012 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 93 Points
Dark color and yummy dark fruit, currant and blueberry, some smoke, good length and held together by deft tannis.
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8/26/2012 - MoreWinePlease wrote: 87 Points
Tried Pop N Pouring an '01 of this 45 minutes earlier but that turned out a huge disappointment. This was only a big disappointment, as Uriah has almost invariably given pleasure and satisfaction over the many years I've been drinking it. No problem with color (ruby/purple) and there was the usual sludge/crust that you have to be careful with when pouring. Nice nose of plums/cherries resulting in a rather dry cherry/berry extract that some out there might find welcome but did little for me. Popped an '01 Dutschke, Oscar Semmler and settled for what it had to offer. Didn't want to expend the 25 minute round trip to the wine storage to cop another bottle that might not do anything either. Maybe my palate's *%@*&'up and this is all just a temporary aberration.
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8/4/2012 - nogohawk wrote: 91 Points
Popped & poured - a nice bordeaux style blend from WA; dark berry & nice finish but not long
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5/28/2012 - aof wrote: 91 Points
Nondescript nose, quite ripe and new-worldly.
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9/5/2011 - rben_mvp wrote: 92 Points
Oh my gosh this was good and exceeded my expectations. This was a well cellared wine for reference and my experience says it has two to three years of slow peaking left. Great WA Bordeaux blend from a warmer year. Concentrated, complex, with most components in harmony (slight alcohol).
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7/28/2011 - skifree wrote: 88 Points
Thick wine, lots of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, and cola. Fruit forward, seemed quite extracted and oaked which moved the score down a notch. No sign of decline, but think this is at its peak.
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7/7/2011 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Cranberry and current nose with raspberry, pepper and mint notes. Apparent, caressing tannins but lacks a bit of acidity. Very good bottle.
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12/10/2010 - gbm wrote: 93 Points
CT Secret Santa Gift - Popped, poured a little off, and aired for about three hours (as recommended by Mr. Claus). Drank from two glasses - a Reidel O Series Cab/Merlot glass and a generic wide-mouthed red wine bowl/goblet. Color was an opaque red, maybe a little cloudy. Nose was very expressive and had lots of flowers, cherry, vanilla, eucalyptus, and some hints of chocolate. This is just a few - it just kept coming at you. Incredible! Palate had strong tannins. They did subside over time, but interestingly they were less conspicuous in the cheap generic glass from the start (though so were the aromas - I guess it's a trade off). Anyway, strong tannins but very well balanced and very drinkable. Not for the faint-hearted, though. I suspect it will mellow with more time, but I don't know that the richness of the nose can last. Medium long finish. I nearly finished the bottle by myself, which is unheard of in this house. (4+14+17+8)
Note: I am not just being kind. This is really a great wine.
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10/18/2010 - z_willus_d wrote: 91 Points
Popped and gave it 30-min in my glass before trying. This is the 3rd bottle I've opened of 6 and all have had a smear of red up one side of the cork - disconcerting. The color is murky and I see some bricking in dark burgundy liquid. The bouquet is musty as of damp dirt. It showed some mulling strawberries on opening but has since declined into the olfactory stamp of ancient ruins. Hiding beneath the stones are scents of cherry pit and squeezed black olives. I also get a sense of maderization and some port reduction caramel. The palate is far more expressive (and hot) than I expected or recall from previous tastings (though there I had decanted). Sweet cherry flavors mingle with dusty earth and anise root. This full bodied Merlot-based red exhibits an endowed mid-palate (showing plenty of tasty blackberry) that turns creamy from a well integrated oak influence. The medium+ length finish fades from sweet to bitter with leather, crushed olive pits and even sweet/sour red currant. Alcohol heat really shows at this point, and I believe this ill effect might improve with a good 1-2 hour decant session. I'm really happy with this bottle and it's showing better than others I've tried in the not so recent past. The mouthfeel is almost there. This is a fine example of a US-WA Bordeaux blend; it's quintessential Merlot of the sunnier kind. Good stuff...now?!?
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9/25/2010 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
This was delicious, full of ripe blackcherry and blackcurrant fruit. Nice hints of complexity as well as a really long juicy finish. Went great with a steak. Drinking about peak.
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7/9/2010 - gajalaa wrote: 88 Points
Tasted currents and blackberry on the nose. Allison liked this bottle especially the chocolate and plum. I thought it was a bit oaky but it had good balance and a nice finish. Not sure if I would pay $45 for another bottle but overall it was good
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5/21/2010 - kgh wrote: 94 Points
Last bottle of a case. Opened two hours before dinner. Shows abundant fruit and floral aromas. Dark concentrated wine with lots of complex flavors and a long finish. This has definitely gotten better. Outstanding right now.
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4/22/2010 - Haggis wrote: 86 Points
My notes don't differ appreciably from my previous ones (most recently, 2/17/2010). Too hot and too much oak.
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3/7/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club Merlot Challenge (B. Long's House): Medium purple. Nose was shut down but opened up after areation. Cherry, vanilla, and spice are the central feature of this Meritiage Blend. Nothing bad or great about this wine but I have to give it a 90 for potential with 3 more years of aging.
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3/6/2010 - Mattshank wrote: 89 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club 3/06/10: Nose: Dark fruits and anise. Palate: Dark fruits show with major spice. Interesting wine but a fair amount of alcohol heat on the finish keeps this under 90 pts.
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3/4/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 85 Points
Kind of dull and lifeless right now and I am not sure what that means for the future of this wine. Nose of oak, sweet phenol and hints of cherry fruit, the wine does not have much zip on the palate. Some chocolate, red berry, drying tannins. Three left and I am not optimistic.
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2/27/2010 - dpmiv wrote: 90 Points
I opened this wine in part because of many of the other reviews on this site, indicating that it is getting to be past its prime. I agree with that sentiment, but disagree somewhat on the urgency to drink it. This is still a good wine, and I wouldn't tell someone to open it if they're not prepared to.
That said, it did not taste as sharp as it did when it was released. If you've got this wine in your cellar still, it should be bottle you open next time you're looking to indulge yourself with a fine wine-- but that doesn't necessarily have to be tonight.
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2/27/2010 - Haggis wrote: 86 Points
I liked this bottle marginally better than the previous (1/28/2010). There is decent fruit, but (as before) it is buried beneath an unnecessarily thick layer of oak. The dark plum, chocolate, and blueberry is there, but seems imprisoned in oak, screaming to be let free. It is possible, I suppose, that this was more balanced a couple of years ago and that the fruit has just faded. That is hard to fathom, as the quality of the fruit is good...it's not tired or faded...just overwhelmed.
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1/30/2010 - jad1964 wrote: 90 Points
had it side-by-side with the '04. no competition. on its own, it's a nice bottle to drink upon popping. but this confirmed it's going the other way. maybe it's the large % of merlot, dunno. but it is nowhere near it's former self. i'lll drink the rest i have on their own. soon. very soon. nose is empty. where did the fruit go?
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1/28/2010 - Haggis wrote: 84 Points
The fruity nose and palate of blackcurrant, plum, and cherry is very deceiving. It seems that it is tightly integrated with tannin. The fact that this is 77% merlot, with the bullk of the remainder being cab franc, led me to expect a refined, balanced, and "Bordeaux-ish" blend. Not. With repeated tasting and some air, it is clear that this is over oaked. I mean OVER OAKED. I don't know if they throw oak chips or tannin powder in the mix, but after half a glass and 30 min of air, this is about as "manufactured" a wine as I've had in a long time. Reminds me of a chipped/powdered McManis travesty. The "big print" says, "love me, I'm a fruit bomb." The fine print says, "ha ha, gotcha." Given Steiman's high score, I should have known.
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12/15/2009 - jad1964 wrote: 92 Points
this one is interesting. has always been a personal favorite. but i suspect it is potentially at its peak or just past. recall it to be in top 50 ever, not now. still legit, but, after 45 min decant, lacked the pop i am acustomed to. drink now. fruit falling off. still a treat, reasonably balanced, but not as impressive as try in '08.
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12/4/2009 - bajayngo wrote: 82 Points
Spring Valley wines continue to disappoint me with age on them. There is so much VA in this wine it was hard to handle. Behind the VA and acetone there was some light choco, orange peel, wheat and some red fruits but this was really in a bad spot right now.
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9/8/2009 - Vinsant wrote: 85 Points
Liked the wine but a major pazzzzzzzzz at $50! Nice plum, ripe red fruit, eucalyptus, and vanilla on the nose. More red ripe fruit on the palate along with some chocolate but not much else. Lacking any secondary flavors. Will probably never purchase SV again, just not worth the $ and continually disappointed with the way they age. Had better $20 blends from BDX and WA.
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5/24/2009 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Solid, perhaps a little closed right now but certainly capable of opening again. Deep purple berry nose, with top note of oak. Flavors of blueberry, anise, hint of sweetness. Tannins are running the show now so it may need a bit to get these back in balance with the fruit, which is still ample and well able to re-emerge. I am guessing this will look a lot better in 12-18 months. One of the last wines made by Devin Derby before his tragic, untimely death.
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12/29/2008 - vintage72 wrote: 89 Points
this didnt show well after a 100% cab. Seemed a bit hot. Did not enjoy as much as the last bottle 1 year ago. Drink up.
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12/7/2008 - cadamson wrote: 89 Points
Day 1, would give this an 84. Dark purple, monolithic nose, strong fruit made it acceptable, but it was disjointed and hot on the finish. What a big change on day 2. The nose gave cedar, mint, tobacco and some cocoa, the palate had a nice mix of flavors with a finish that lasted 20 seconds or so; the heat was still a bit there, but not as predominant as the night before. I would give this a couple more years, if the fruit can hang in there, this could balance out fine.
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9/22/2008 - Manvelwine wrote: 91 Points
Nice bottle! Detected nice blackberry and maybe slight red currant on the nose as well as the sometimes mentioned "wheat" component. It was a bit tight on the initial service, but it spent the rest of the day in the decanter and it openned up. This was my first bottle of their wine I decanted myself. I had always tasted at the winery or the farm. As such the tannins were much more subdued (of coursethe bottle age of a few years helped that as well). I loved the nose and could honestly just sniff the empty glass for quite some time! Nice effort!
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7/25/2008 - cadamson wrote: 84 Points
Disappointed. Never opened up -- wondering if it will, or if the fruit is fading already. Lots of oak, dark purple.
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6/16/2008 - z_willus_d wrote: 90 Points
1.5 hr. decant at time of initial tasting; deep crimson color. The cork on this 2nd of 6 bottles is as red-splattered as the original bottle, which leaves me questioning the quality of my supplier as these were shipped through good weather. Bordeaux-like nose that clears the sinuses, carrying forward wafts of dark plum and cream enjoyed along side a rain wet pavement; ah, and finally I get a blackberry pie center that's quite a delight; some briariness in the background too. This nose is fairly complex and seems to have shifted around some over the past 10 minutes I've spent with it. This is a little too hot on the back-end, which is bothering me some. It also has me questioning the dirty cork. The input on this wine is more astringent and tannic than the output. I get a lot of blackberry/plum fruit jam on the long finish but the first two-thirds of the ride is an amalgamation of anise, bitter cherry, and menthol with loads of tannins. I'd like to say this was more polished, but it's not and the heat is a little off-putting. I'm torn -- it tears me not to know whether these bottles have been cooked, if only slightly. Still, there is really pure fruit and some decent complexity here. I also feel, given the level of tannins, this could mellow some with time. Unfortunately, it may just as well fall apart at the seams by that time. Right now: 90-91 pts I think. Mellowed out some on day2 (alc not as present, softer, more fruit-forward); leaning more towards the 91 pts now. Stored at cellar-temp w/ vacuum on bottle.
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6/13/2008 - bajayngo wrote:
huge bummer. Have had a case of this in the past and it was AWESOME! Unfortunately this btl was all nail polish and dry cherries and alc! maybe bottle shock from the 3hr drive but we gave it a day to recoop and no dice!
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1/27/2008 - Coler_77 wrote: 90 Points
Nice evenly balanced wine with a long finish. Silky notes of vanilla and dark fruits with just a hint of tannin. Probably didn't let it sit long enough to be able to show it's full potential.
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12/16/2007 - texaswino wrote: 94 Points
decanted for about 1.5-2 hours.
Super duper nose, somewhat light in color relative to the nose but still nice. Nose of smoky dark fruit, plums, roasted red pepper, blackberry and cream. One of those wines I could just sniff for a week. Refined tannins and a long finish. This has really evolved since my last tasting 7 months ago and I think time in the decanter is essential at this point in its evolution. I am going to have to find more of these...94+
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8/18/2007 - Grinder wrote: 94 Points
Open, into decanter and pour. Just a little sediment, cork was perfect. Opaque purple fading to dark pink on the edges. Big, smoky, dark fruit nose, with a tiny bit of heat. Screams smokey blueberry and raspberry on the attack, with mild tannins and some lively acidity to balance the blue/red fruit. Finishes with hints of pepper and juicy blackberry. Long, silky, finish with a little menthol skittering around the edges. Gorgeous Bordeaux blend. This will be sublime in three to four years, but drinking beautiful right now. Hard to wait....
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5/10/2007 - texaswino wrote: 92 Points
A chewy wine with loads of dark fruit and loads of ripe tannin. Great nose promises good things. Needs some time to open up. Should develop very nicely with a few years of cellar time. 92+
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4/8/2007 - wabi47 wrote: 89 Points
old world style blend with moderate fruts and some vegetal flavors; nice floral aroma; tannins still active; it was better with the gnocchi and white cheese sauce than with the bbq rib eye (with or without the bbq sauce); still needs time; not sure it is worth the price unless it improves with time
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1/27/2007 - kennyg wrote: 93 Points
Very nice Bourdeaux style blend with smooth supple texture, not overbearing dark fruit with gentle tanins improved with decanting for about 2 hours. Wish I had more than one more bottle that I will cellar for at least another year!
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12/26/2006 - vintage72 wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Drank at Mom and Dads on Christmas with beef tenderloin. Going to sit on my other bottle for a year or two as the tannins were still a bit much.
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12/23/2006 - AZ Wine Lover wrote: 94 Points
Excellent - Good alone or with a "fruity dish"
Served with Chicken Ala Normande
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11/24/2006 - AZ Wine Lover wrote: 92 Points
Excellent
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11/11/2006 - mquetel wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding! Balanced, well developed and silky tanins, deep and brooding flavors of cherry and blackberry. Wish I had a case of this stuff!
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9/3/2006 - jerhardt wrote:
Not very good (at all). No noticeable flaws, just harshly astringent with overt oak hiding the fruit. If scored as is, I would call this 83 pts.
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6/17/2006 - phantphant wrote: 95 Points
Very high rating for tremendous wine. This is from Washington State? Amazing....I had France all over it when I tasted it. Terrific from first sip. This will be wonderful for years to come. Great jam start; amazing fruit middle and 90 second+ earth finish -- very sublime.
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6/4/2006 - TwoDogs wrote: 93 Points
The cork on this bottle and on one before we both concerning in appearance. A bit sludgy (very gross looking). After having the bottle open for about an hour, the wine, to my surprise, was actually very enjoyable.
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4/23/2006 - TwoDogs wrote: 93 Points
chewy and jammy.
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1/24/2006 - bajayngo wrote: 98 Points
To date the best wine i've ever had. Very expressive nose, vibrant on the palate and finish and just doesn't seem to stop. Tons of dark fruit, dark purple in the glass, perfect balance, beautiful velvety mouth feel (probably not a 98pt wine in all actuality but for me at that point in my wine drinking experiences it was probably 100pts, this wine still hold a special place in my heart as to what a really quality wine was and is to this day one of my all time favorites and favorite memories)
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