Dust, menthol, molasses, currant, prune, and pepper. Medium-plus bodied with medium-plus acidity. Thinner than I expected and fading. Short finish is a bit prickly and spicy.
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Not sure if this will get any better, but it's drinking very well right now. Remarkably balanced for big Oz, give it an hour for the heavy oak to blow off the nose and enjoy.
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Aromatic nose of cassis with chocolate/coffee and oak. A hint of sherry suggesting it's mature. Very concentrated flavors to match, mouth-coating. No noticeable tannin, but definitely high alcohol. Very long but hot finish. An excellent wine, would do well in a tasting, but needs flavorful cheese or full-flavored dishes.
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Dark black color. Vanilla and dark berry nose. Very oak and very high in alcohol on the palate. Substaintially out of balance in favor of alcohol, but enough powerful succulent fruit to salvage an acceptable score. $35.99 OH Retail
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Initially purple and very deep fruit upon opening. Improved with some chocolate, tar and chalk over time. We got these for $12.99 on close-out: incredible QPR. Drink now.
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While there was plenty of fruit and upfront oak, this wine had a pretty high pop of volatilve acidity and some cooked flavors, not as good as earlier bottles. The nose included madera notes, blueberry and oak. Flavors were overripe berries, hints of oak, heat and a tingle on the finish that was likely acidity. Seemed disjointed and overripe. A further case for drinking up.
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This was less complex, less oak and more grapey than the bottle just a couple of weeks ago. It had almost no tannins that might justify longer aging. Grapey, hints of currant and licorice. Just okay. The first bottle was much better. Still, at $16 on closeout, I could have done worse. I would drink this old dog in the next 6 months, maybe before. One dimensional, moderate to low acidity (high pH) that would also indicate low aging potential.
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Smoky, oaky nose, drinks well cool and a little warmer. Flavors include chocolate, raspberry, a little ash. Tannins are well resolved and almost non-existent. Loads of sediment and purple sludge in the bottom, which could easily feed spoilage organisms in the coming years. This could turn into a pruny, tannin-free mess so I would consume it within the next 1-2 years.
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Chocolate, tar, fruit -- but not as exuberant as in 2007. Pretty good pairing with our pasta (spaghetti with onion/garlic tomato sauce and thyme and our meatballs). Drink now
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18 wines on a Saturday afternoon: Not sure if this was an off bottle. Inky purple in color. The nose has tons of alcohol. Disjointed. A dead animal note but lots of black raspberry fruit. A bit better on the nose with sweet black raspberry jam. Some pepper. This was very alcoholic tasting. I suppose some must have liked it more than I but there was little discussion on this wine.
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Popped and poured. It was a very smooth cab, with strong fruit, but not the bomb I feared. Not much in the way of secondary characteristics, but a nice blackcherry, almost minty taste. Tannins are very well integrated.
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Big? Yes but I did not find it to be offensively so. Nice nose of vanilla oak, a little sweet phenol as the wood has not yet integrated into the profile. Bright berrry, soft tannins, vanilla, oak and chocolate coat the palate. I expected overdone and this was not. Nice job Sparky.
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Initially dominated by buttery oak that took a couple of hours to really blow off, after that it was a solid if unspectacular drink. Classic MP medicinal cherries, black licorice and spicy wood, texture is smooth and, while there is some heat, the wine is balanced and remarkably supple in the mouth. Not at all bad if you can appeciate this style, I like it even better on day 2.
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Mixed reviews by the group. Some LOVED this - others found it too much. I found it over-engineered and so powerful it came off false. Maybe time will tame this beast and it will integrate and smooth out.
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Big, sweet, candied bouquet. Very round in the mouth. A touch of eucalyptus, dark fruits, low acid, low tannin, moderate finish. Very enjoyable. In it's prime now.
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Nose of crushed violet, toasted oak, black cherry, this wine almost opaque with its dark purple color. The oak is very dominant on the nose. The wine tastes like a confectionier's delight with chocolate, red cherry, vanilla, mocha, coconut and blackberry. Finishes with sweet and refined tannin. Quite an experience that only the the ostentatious Aussies like Sparky Marquis would make.
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I took a bottle to the Serra/St. Pierre fight, most people didn't peg it as Cabernet it was that big with lots of extraction and lots of big pure dark fruit (mostly black and blue jammy style berry flavors), but it was pure and integrated. The alcohol and tannins took a back seat over time but were in-your-face upon opening. The bouquet upon opening was big and wild, then closed up and took a little time to open up to its true essences of the recurring blue and black fruit. The earthy/herbal/oak nuances I expected didn't start to show up until the last glass, and even then, it was a pleasant addition, with nothing "taking over." The color was glass-staining dark purple at the rim and almost black near the center. It spent around 1 hour in decanter, although by that time, there was not much left... crowd pleaser. If you like this style, it is a good buy if you can still find it.
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Opened the last bottle so a friend could taste what I had tasted after the Marquis put on a few years. With this bottle we were a bit disappointed. Solid but not great.
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A significantly better and more interesting bottle. Opaque blackish red. Right out of the uncorked bottle leap aromas of almost-but-not-quite stewed blackberries and plums, earth, spice, and apple skins. Surprisingly light and bright considering the winemakers' reputation; indeed, the texture, structure, and earthy profile make this the most "French" of any Marquis-made wine I've had. Still quite sweet (of course), possessing a decently long finish where a small amount of dusty tannin arises.
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Deep, dark, inky purple color. Big, flamboyant nose full of crushed blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, baking spices, and alcohol. A lot of the alcohol blew off with some air. Full bodied with good acidity and ripe tannins. Rich and sweet on the palate with jammy, spicy, berries, licorice, and vanilla. Long, long finish full of the spicy, jammy berries and a bit of oak and vanilla. Not a style for everyone, but for the price, $12.99, a great wine for the deck while eating burgers.
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Deep, dark, purple/black color. Big nose with blackberries, boysenberry, dried herbs, black cherries, and some alcohol. Full body with decent acidity and soft, ripe tannins. Loads of sweet, spicy, jammy blackberries, dried herbs, raspberries. Long finish full of sweet, spicy fruit that last forever.
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Pitch black with purple rim. Nose dominated by anise and blueberry with vanilla notes. Full, soft palate of black cherry, black licorice and spicy vanilla oak. Nice long finish of about 30 seconds. Very shiraz-like and consistent with other bottles.
40+5+5+16+17+8=91
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Nice concentration and a plush, full mouth-feel. Does not have the eucalyptis background sometimes seen in Aussie reds which I'm not a fan of. Dark fruit and chocolate palate, long finish - very nice!
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Nose of dark fruit and oak ( not sure how much to trust this as I have a cold!) Very fruit forward and full bodied, with lots pf oak. Blackberries and currants. Finishes with some heat and some bitterness from still unresolved tannins. It's cold out tonight and I wanted some fruit and slme heat. Got what I asked for!
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Battle of the Cabs: Part I: Australia Versus Argentina; 5/25/2007-5/30/2007 (Andy's House): Not a bod little cab. As I have stated in a few reviews of Marquis Philips and other Australian producers, there seems this rush on to see who can spike the alcohol content as high as they can go without having to classify the product as a "spirit". However, this one at 15% had good balance and the alcohol did not dominate the tasting liek the 04 Shiraz 9 did from the same producer. This one remined me of a Rutherford Cab with its dusty nose, hints of fruit and berries and chewy tannins on the palate with a fair finish.
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Opened and decanted on a Teusday, drank on a Saturday.
This wine had so much overpowering oak it was unapproachable for 4 days! However, when I did give this enough time to mellow out, the alcohol burned off and the wood subdued a lot. I actually really enjoyed this bottle. Nice big, rich viscous MP cab with dark black fruits and vanilla and maybe even a little hint of mint?, with a nice long finish. A steal for $13.99.
40+5+5+16+16+7=89
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Dark, inky purple to the rim. Extremely extracted. It may be a bit early to drink this one. The heat and vanillin/oak overwhelm the fruit at this point. However, I doubt that this one has the needed structure and fruit to outlast the copious quantities of oak and alcohol. A quaffable, party-style wine lacking Cabernet typicity. I suppose it would be fun to drink at a wedding or on a cruise ship, but you might as well be drinking rum if you are looking for this much alcohol and vanilla.
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Blind Night (Mark): Cherries, earth, black pepper, oak and blackcurrant. Some mid palate complexity. Powerful finish. Great acidity and freshness. My first guess was a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. No signs of heat. I hate the fact that I actually liked a wine from this producer. 15% alcohol. Brought by I.Jay.
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I have been waiting to open another bottle of this for a while. I was slightly disappointed. We had this wine after an Aussie blend tasting in which there were no spectacular wines. I suspect this wine would have been much better if given a chance to breath. We opened and drank immediately.
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A bit hot to the smell at first. Has that sweet aromatic quality of many Marquis-Philips wines. Sort of molasses-like, with black fruits and strawberry jam aromas as well. Big and rich. Full dark/opaque in the glass. Big, soft texture. Fruit forward and rich, consistent with so many MP wines. Finish lasts >30 sec. A Cali cab with this much character would be much more pricey. I like the BIG style, but there is a high level of alcohol present with some heat.
Tannins are present, this wine will age well for a few years. A steal for $17.
40+5+5+16+16+7=89
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This is shining on Day 2. Rich aromas of cedar, black fruits, and pencil lead. Needless to say, it's a big wine. Lots of jammy fruit and spice. It has enough acidity to keep it interesting. Finishes a bit hot after awhile in glass, coming undone after about 30 minutes. Would recommend drinking at cellar temp. Decanting a small amout on Day 1 didn't turn out well for me. The wine became too vegetal and went straight down the drain. Gonna wait til 6 years after vintage. Seems to be the sweet spot for MP wines, at least for me.
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This is the other one that arrived frozen (cork pushed out about 3/8"). Tastes OK. Dark purple, fruit and spice on the nose, unmistakeable as aussie. Blackberry, dark cherry, some chocolate and coffee. Decent wine for the price Some alcohol heat noticeable, but not a bad balance.
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Not really fair to describe or rate. Shipment was delivered with two bottles frozen and this one had the cork halfway out. Drank up rather than toss, but will wait to rate one of the others.
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Initially, the bottle was very closed and tight. But after 5 hours open (not decanted), the wine blossomed into a beautiful, fruit-filled drink, with lots of black fruit (blackberry, cherry), expresso and fine tannins. It paired beautifully with our BBQ chicken. A great buy ... particularly for $12/bottle, on sale.
Nevertheless, I think this wine needs 1-2 years of time, before it drinks truly well. I'm marking it try January 2008 and Summer 2008.
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A thoroughly enjoyable bottle of cab. This stuff must be blended with shiraz because the signature MP fruit forward spice dominated nose is here, but with slightly more austerity. Excellent balance of alcohol with tannin showing nice fruit and cassis on the palate, this wine is full of life.
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Dark inky purple. Jammy aromas, alcohol heat. Chewy glycerine mouthfeel. Sweet, plummy fruit, with some nice spiciness in the finish...heat and sweetness make it a bit hard to tease out the complexities that might otherwise be found. Solid example of the fruit bomb style.
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Deep ruby with a black center. Nose of toasty oak, coconut, deep blackberry scent and heat, with some clove, cinnamon and green pepper in the background. The green pepper came out a bit more with time. On the palate it is very full bodied, smooth, ultra modern in style (of course), with a finish of bitter coffee. This began being a bit empty on the mid-palate, however with 2-3 hours of air it took on a bit more flavor. It's in the same style as their Shiraz 9.
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Typically opaque black/purple, sweet though not raisiny fruit. Heat is barely perceptible; oak is more so but not dominating. Didn't notice the tannin until I drank 3/4 of the bottle, but the acidity was decent enough to balance the sweetness. On the third day, some floral notes revealed themselves in the finish. But in the end, it's not playing at a much higher level than the regular M-P cab.
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What a value this has become. Wine was absolutely tremendous when first opened. Did not decant bottle. First glass was full of ripe fruit without being too out of balance. After 4-5 hours the fruit seemed to lessen but the remaining herbal/tobacco flavors made this wine more complex.
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Color is dark garnet/purple to the rim. On the nose, dark fruit, chocolate, mint, tar, and a hint of smoke. On the palate, thick plum and blackberry are framed by a hint of mint, mocha, and tar. Soft and supple.
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Drinking well after a 2 hr decant. Chocolate, spice and ripe dark fruit. A bit syrupy and sweet, but the woody tannins and menthol on the back end balance it out nicely. Incredible bargain at the $12 closeout price.
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Color is dark garnet to the rim. Nose shows thick blackberry, hint of mint, mocha, and tar. On the palate, sweet blackberry, touch of cassis, herbs, and earth are all framed by velvety tannins. Good, but not profound.
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Nose of dark berries and vanilla, Strong framework, well balanced, with enough fruit to please but not overpower. Subtle hints of black licorice and spice. Dreadfully young at this point and I am kicking myself that I did not wait another year or five. Long, smooth woody finish. A big YUM!
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Wow, there is so much of everything, its sensory overload. Huge pure and ripe fruit with strong notes of toasted oak as well as alcohol. A rich, sweet syrupy wine abounding with blackberry, cassis, and pepsin. Very smooth with a belt of tannin, citric acid and ripened wild apple at the end.
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I ended up regretting opening this bottle of wine so young. Upon popping the cork, this wine was extremely tight. Color was completely opaque with zero light coming through. After a while, blackberry, black cherry, and powerful cassis framed with spice and smokey oak was revealed. Velvety smooth and fun to drink. Give it another 4-5 years and it should bloom into a very sold wine.
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10/6/2020 - MarkLA wrote:
Dust, menthol, molasses, currant, prune, and pepper. Medium-plus bodied with medium-plus acidity. Thinner than I expected and fading. Short finish is a bit prickly and spicy.
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7/27/2020 - Vascular46 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Parker was right- These wines were made to drink young-Not to age.
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5/30/2014 - dmcella Likes this wine:
Not much rim variation despite age; vibrant for age; viscous; blackberry, black currant, sweet tobacco; bit hot (15%).
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11/17/2013 - Garfield wrote: flawed
This was corked. I hope the rest of them are still OK.
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4/1/2012 - JSolo wrote: 84 Points
Not as good this time as I remember from previous tasting.
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1/29/2012 - philip0530 wrote: 90 Points
- Brick color and has flavours of molasses and prune with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish.
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9/30/2011 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Not sure if this will get any better, but it's drinking very well right now. Remarkably balanced for big Oz, give it an hour for the heavy oak to blow off the nose and enjoy.
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5/27/2011 - Ex-Ray wrote: 94 Points
Aromatic nose of cassis with chocolate/coffee and oak. A hint of sherry suggesting it's mature. Very concentrated flavors to match, mouth-coating. No noticeable tannin, but definitely high alcohol. Very long but hot finish. An excellent wine, would do well in a tasting, but needs flavorful cheese or full-flavored dishes.
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1/20/2011 - bsshipman wrote: 80 Points
Too much or alcohol. Masked any redeeming qualities the wine might have had.
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1/10/2011 - austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com wrote: 87 Points
Dark black color. Vanilla and dark berry nose. Very oak and very high in alcohol on the palate. Substaintially out of balance in favor of alcohol, but enough powerful succulent fruit to salvage an acceptable score.
$35.99 OH Retail
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11/14/2010 - cparkhurst wrote:
Terrible...poured it out
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10/30/2010 - Marc McSorley wrote:
pretty good, especially fo the price
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10/29/2010 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Oak is even better integrated now, but still needs some air time to come together. Drinking very well right now and, again, best on day 2.
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10/10/2010 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
Initially purple and very deep fruit upon opening. Improved with some chocolate, tar and chalk over time.
We got these for $12.99 on close-out: incredible QPR. Drink now.
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8/21/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 88 Points
No good notes but not overoaked or overdone. Good by memory.
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7/27/2010 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote:
drank during camping on vacation, no recollection.
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7/18/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 84 Points
While there was plenty of fruit and upfront oak, this wine had a pretty high pop of volatilve acidity and some cooked flavors, not as good as earlier bottles. The nose included madera notes, blueberry and oak. Flavors were overripe berries, hints of oak, heat and a tingle on the finish that was likely acidity. Seemed disjointed and overripe. A further case for drinking up.
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6/14/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 86 Points
This was less complex, less oak and more grapey than the bottle just a couple of weeks ago. It had almost no tannins that might justify longer aging. Grapey, hints of currant and licorice. Just okay. The first bottle was much better. Still, at $16 on closeout, I could have done worse. I would drink this old dog in the next 6 months, maybe before. One dimensional, moderate to low acidity (high pH) that would also indicate low aging potential.
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6/5/2010 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 92 Points
great wine, dark, inky, smoky, backberries, lots of sediment.
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5/26/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Smoky, oaky nose, drinks well cool and a little warmer. Flavors include chocolate, raspberry, a little ash. Tannins are well resolved and almost non-existent. Loads of sediment and purple sludge in the bottom, which could easily feed spoilage organisms in the coming years. This could turn into a pruny, tannin-free mess so I would consume it within the next 1-2 years.
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3/23/2010 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
Chocolate, tar, fruit -- but not as exuberant as in 2007. Pretty good pairing with our pasta (spaghetti with onion/garlic tomato sauce and thyme and our meatballs). Drink now
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3/12/2010 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 92 Points
great bottle smooth, a lot of bottle variation.
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2/13/2010 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 86 Points
fading, I think, tannins a bit rough
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11/28/2009 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 82 Points
18 wines on a Saturday afternoon: Not sure if this was an off bottle. Inky purple in color. The nose has tons of alcohol. Disjointed. A dead animal note but lots of black raspberry fruit. A bit better on the nose with sweet black raspberry jam. Some pepper. This was very alcoholic tasting. I suppose some must have liked it more than I but there was little discussion on this wine.
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10/31/2009 - jonysan Likes this wine: 88 Points
Rich smoky, oaky flavors. Medium tannins. Bold wine.
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10/30/2009 - Domer99 wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. It was a very smooth cab, with strong fruit, but not the bomb I feared. Not much in the way of secondary characteristics, but a nice blackcherry, almost minty taste. Tannins are very well integrated.
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10/25/2009 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 92 Points
prime, round, smooth, enough fruit to make it work.
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10/11/2009 - jasonkle wrote: 87 Points
Not smooth enough for me. Good fruit. Overly simple. Good not great.
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5/31/2009 - cparkhurst wrote:
Undrinkable
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5/30/2009 - daCrusher wrote: 88 Points
Dark Color.... good flavors, a little sweet kinda like a box of skittles
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4/1/2009 - Russ wrote: 90 Points
Large wine that fills you with fruit and tannins. Great finish. Nice price as well.
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3/28/2009 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Big? Yes but I did not find it to be offensively so. Nice nose of vanilla oak, a little sweet phenol as the wood has not yet integrated into the profile. Bright berrry, soft tannins, vanilla, oak and chocolate coat the palate. I expected overdone and this was not. Nice job Sparky.
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3/27/2009 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Initially dominated by buttery oak that took a couple of hours to really blow off, after that it was a solid if unspectacular drink. Classic MP medicinal cherries, black licorice and spicy wood, texture is smooth and, while there is some heat, the wine is balanced and remarkably supple in the mouth. Not at all bad if you can appeciate this style, I like it even better on day 2.
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3/20/2009 - Johannes.knops@xjtlu.edu.cn wrote: 90 Points
Nice, chocolate, some oak, dark cherry, not your typical cabernet. Has at least a couble of years left still.
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1/19/2009 - Mlermontov wrote: 89 Points
good, still powerfull, bit of a bitter edge, rather full bodied. not my style but has appeal
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1/2/2009 - JNK Pereira wrote: 88 Points
Mixed reviews by the group. Some LOVED this - others found it too much. I found it over-engineered and so powerful it came off false. Maybe time will tame this beast and it will integrate and smooth out.
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12/6/2008 - Tory Griffin wrote: 90 Points
Big, sweet, candied bouquet. Very round in the mouth. A touch of eucalyptus, dark fruits, low acid, low tannin, moderate finish. Very enjoyable. In it's prime now.
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10/15/2008 - Martincentral wrote: 92 Points
Great find in the jungle. Big, Bombastic, Notated and Fabulous!!!
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5/28/2008 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
Nose of crushed violet, toasted oak, black cherry, this wine almost opaque with its dark purple color. The oak is very dominant on the nose. The wine tastes like a confectionier's delight with chocolate, red cherry, vanilla, mocha, coconut and blackberry. Finishes with sweet and refined tannin. Quite an experience that only the the ostentatious Aussies like Sparky Marquis would make.
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4/19/2008 - ccarmichael wrote: 90 Points
I took a bottle to the Serra/St. Pierre fight, most people didn't peg it as Cabernet it was that big with lots of extraction and lots of big pure dark fruit (mostly black and blue jammy style berry flavors), but it was pure and integrated. The alcohol and tannins took a back seat over time but were in-your-face upon opening. The bouquet upon opening was big and wild, then closed up and took a little time to open up to its true essences of the recurring blue and black fruit. The earthy/herbal/oak nuances I expected didn't start to show up until the last glass, and even then, it was a pleasant addition, with nothing "taking over." The color was glass-staining dark purple at the rim and almost black near the center. It spent around 1 hour in decanter, although by that time, there was not much left... crowd pleaser. If you like this style, it is a good buy if you can still find it.
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4/19/2008 - dannyk8232 wrote: 89 Points
Pleasurable almost to the point of being sickening. Proceed with caution with this one. A true Aussie monster
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12/25/2007 - Cullens wrote: 89 Points
Opened the last bottle so a friend could taste what I had tasted after the Marquis put on a few years. With this bottle we were a bit disappointed. Solid but not great.
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11/12/2007 - Cullens wrote: 91 Points
I had held the last two bottles to see how another year or so would treat the wine. I was very pleased. The wine has improved but not that much.
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11/7/2007 - dannyk8232 wrote: 90 Points
Consistent w/ previous notes.
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10/5/2007 - cbbrown3 wrote: 90 Points
Similar to two previous notes. Big, bold, not for everyone, but a nice Friday night wine to sip while relaxing and watching a game on TV.
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8/13/2007 - ksmith wrote: 90 Points
Oak on the nose and the palate. Inky purple. lots of fruit, some heat. Blueberries, blackberries, substantial finish.
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8/6/2007 - tcfishler wrote: 88 Points
A significantly better and more interesting bottle. Opaque blackish red. Right out of the uncorked bottle leap aromas of almost-but-not-quite stewed blackberries and plums, earth, spice, and apple skins. Surprisingly light and bright considering the winemakers' reputation; indeed, the texture, structure, and earthy profile make this the most "French" of any Marquis-made wine I've had. Still quite sweet (of course), possessing a decently long finish where a small amount of dusty tannin arises.
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8/6/2007 - cbbrown3 wrote: 90 Points
Deep, dark, inky purple color. Big, flamboyant nose full of crushed blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, baking spices, and alcohol. A lot of the alcohol blew off with some air. Full bodied with good acidity and ripe tannins. Rich and sweet on the palate with jammy, spicy, berries, licorice, and vanilla. Long, long finish full of the spicy, jammy berries and a bit of oak and vanilla. Not a style for everyone, but for the price, $12.99, a great wine for the deck while eating burgers.
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7/8/2007 - cbbrown3 wrote: 90 Points
Deep, dark, purple/black color. Big nose with blackberries, boysenberry, dried herbs, black cherries, and some alcohol. Full body with decent acidity and soft, ripe tannins. Loads of sweet, spicy, jammy blackberries, dried herbs, raspberries. Long finish full of sweet, spicy fruit that last forever.
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7/3/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Red fruits, black and red pepper and earth. Medium finish.
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6/19/2007 - dannyk8232 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted overnight.
Pitch black with purple rim. Nose dominated by anise and blueberry with vanilla notes. Full, soft palate of black cherry, black licorice and spicy vanilla oak. Nice long finish of about 30 seconds. Very shiraz-like and consistent with other bottles.
40+5+5+16+17+8=91
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6/16/2007 - jctaylor wrote: 92 Points
Nice concentration and a plush, full mouth-feel. Does not have the eucalyptis background sometimes seen in Aussie reds which I'm not a fan of. Dark fruit and chocolate palate, long finish - very nice!
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6/5/2007 - ksmith wrote: 90 Points
Nose of dark fruit and oak ( not sure how much to trust this as I have a cold!) Very fruit forward and full bodied, with lots pf oak. Blackberries and currants. Finishes with some heat and some bitterness from still unresolved tannins. It's cold out tonight and I wanted some fruit and slme heat. Got what I asked for!
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5/27/2007 - cvvhrn wrote: 87 Points
Battle of the Cabs: Part I: Australia Versus Argentina; 5/25/2007-5/30/2007 (Andy's House): Not a bod little cab. As I have stated in a few reviews of Marquis Philips and other Australian producers, there seems this rush on to see who can spike the alcohol content as high as they can go without having to classify the product as a "spirit". However, this one at 15% had good balance and the alcohol did not dominate the tasting liek the 04 Shiraz 9 did from the same producer. This one remined me of a Rutherford Cab with its dusty nose, hints of fruit and berries and chewy tannins on the palate with a fair finish.
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5/13/2007 - dannyk8232 wrote: 89 Points
Opened and decanted on a Teusday, drank on a Saturday.
This wine had so much overpowering oak it was unapproachable for 4 days! However, when I did give this enough time to mellow out, the alcohol burned off and the wood subdued a lot. I actually really enjoyed this bottle. Nice big, rich viscous MP cab with dark black fruits and vanilla and maybe even a little hint of mint?, with a nice long finish. A steal for $13.99.
40+5+5+16+16+7=89
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4/14/2007 - rothdog wrote: 85 Points
Dark, inky purple to the rim. Extremely extracted. It may be a bit early to drink this one. The heat and vanillin/oak overwhelm the fruit at this point. However, I doubt that this one has the needed structure and fruit to outlast the copious quantities of oak and alcohol. A quaffable, party-style wine lacking Cabernet typicity. I suppose it would be fun to drink at a wedding or on a cruise ship, but you might as well be drinking rum if you are looking for this much alcohol and vanilla.
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3/30/2007 - 2bottles wrote: 90 Points
3 bottles at whistler 2/2007 -- people liked the basic MP shiraz much better
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3/28/2007 - ijayb wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry, currant, earth and leather. Pure black fruit on the nose. Very fruit forward wine.
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3/27/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
Blind night- MY house: one of the surprises of the night. alot of fruit, but not the over syrupy type I associate with this wine. not a bad effort.
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3/27/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 90 Points
Blind Night (Mark): Cherries, earth, black pepper, oak and blackcurrant. Some mid palate complexity. Powerful finish. Great acidity and freshness. My first guess was a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. No signs of heat. I hate the fact that I actually liked a wine from this producer. 15% alcohol. Brought by I.Jay.
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3/25/2007 - atun53 wrote: 77 Points
Going through dumb phase? Didn't decant, tasted like pure plonk.
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3/24/2007 - Cullens wrote: 87 Points
I have been waiting to open another bottle of this for a while. I was slightly disappointed. We had this wine after an Aussie blend tasting in which there were no spectacular wines. I suspect this wine would have been much better if given a chance to breath. We opened and drank immediately.
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3/11/2007 - dannyk8232 wrote: 89 Points
Poured a bit in a glass, rest in decanter.
A bit hot to the smell at first. Has that sweet aromatic quality of many Marquis-Philips wines. Sort of molasses-like, with black fruits and strawberry jam aromas as well. Big and rich. Full dark/opaque in the glass. Big, soft texture. Fruit forward and rich, consistent with so many MP wines. Finish lasts >30 sec. A Cali cab with this much character would be much more pricey. I like the BIG style, but there is a high level of alcohol present with some heat.
Tannins are present, this wine will age well for a few years. A steal for $17.
40+5+5+16+16+7=89
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3/7/2007 - MarkLA wrote: 91 Points
This is shining on Day 2. Rich aromas of cedar, black fruits, and pencil lead. Needless to say, it's a big wine. Lots of jammy fruit and spice. It has enough acidity to keep it interesting. Finishes a bit hot after awhile in glass, coming undone after about 30 minutes. Would recommend drinking at cellar temp. Decanting a small amout on Day 1 didn't turn out well for me. The wine became too vegetal and went straight down the drain. Gonna wait til 6 years after vintage. Seems to be the sweet spot for MP wines, at least for me.
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2/27/2007 - ksmith wrote: 90 Points
This is the other one that arrived frozen (cork pushed out about 3/8"). Tastes OK. Dark purple, fruit and spice on the nose, unmistakeable as aussie. Blackberry, dark cherry, some chocolate and coffee. Decent wine for the price Some alcohol heat noticeable, but not a bad balance.
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2/6/2007 - ksmith wrote: 89 Points
Not really fair to describe or rate. Shipment was delivered with two bottles frozen and this one had the cork halfway out. Drank up rather than toss, but will wait to rate one of the others.
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1/27/2007 - TashNYC wrote: 91 Points
Initially, the bottle was very closed and tight. But after 5 hours open (not decanted), the wine blossomed into a beautiful, fruit-filled drink, with lots of black fruit (blackberry, cherry), expresso and fine tannins. It paired beautifully with our BBQ chicken. A great buy ... particularly for $12/bottle, on sale.
Nevertheless, I think this wine needs 1-2 years of time, before it drinks truly well. I'm marking it try January 2008 and Summer 2008.
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1/11/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 92 Points
A thoroughly enjoyable bottle of cab. This stuff must be blended with shiraz because the signature MP fruit forward spice dominated nose is here, but with slightly more austerity. Excellent balance of alcohol with tannin showing nice fruit and cassis on the palate, this wine is full of life.
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1/7/2007 - Kellious wrote: 90 Points
Dark in color. A world of tastes- blackberry, spice (cinnamon & clove), dark chocolate, smoke, black cherry, espresso. Smooth finish. Good value.
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1/1/2007 - DesMarteau wrote: 91 Points
Nice blue fruits, creme de cassis, mint, thick, rich, but not over the top. Great QPR at the winex $13 price point.
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12/24/2006 - kenito799 wrote: 85 Points
Dark inky purple. Jammy aromas, alcohol heat. Chewy glycerine mouthfeel. Sweet, plummy fruit, with some nice spiciness in the finish...heat and sweetness make it a bit hard to tease out the complexities that might otherwise be found. Solid example of the fruit bomb style.
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12/19/2006 - dougsmith wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby with a black center. Nose of toasty oak, coconut, deep blackberry scent and heat, with some clove, cinnamon and green pepper in the background. The green pepper came out a bit more with time. On the palate it is very full bodied, smooth, ultra modern in style (of course), with a finish of bitter coffee. This began being a bit empty on the mid-palate, however with 2-3 hours of air it took on a bit more flavor. It's in the same style as their Shiraz 9.
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12/15/2006 - tcfishler wrote: 86 Points
Typically opaque black/purple, sweet though not raisiny fruit. Heat is barely perceptible; oak is more so but not dominating. Didn't notice the tannin until I drank 3/4 of the bottle, but the acidity was decent enough to balance the sweetness. On the third day, some floral notes revealed themselves in the finish. But in the end, it's not playing at a much higher level than the regular M-P cab.
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12/4/2006 - MBrown wrote: 90 Points
What a value this has become. Wine was absolutely tremendous when first opened. Did not decant bottle. First glass was full of ripe fruit without being too out of balance. After 4-5 hours the fruit seemed to lessen but the remaining herbal/tobacco flavors made this wine more complex.
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11/7/2006 - Thilo wrote: 89 Points
Color is dark garnet/purple to the rim. On the nose, dark fruit, chocolate, mint, tar, and a hint of smoke. On the palate, thick plum and blackberry are framed by a hint of mint, mocha, and tar. Soft and supple.
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11/5/2006 - danibus wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well after a 2 hr decant. Chocolate, spice and ripe dark fruit. A bit syrupy and sweet, but the woody tannins and menthol on the back end balance it out nicely. Incredible bargain at the $12 closeout price.
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11/4/2006 - Thilo wrote: 89 Points
Color is dark garnet to the rim. Nose shows thick blackberry, hint of mint, mocha, and tar. On the palate, sweet blackberry, touch of cassis, herbs, and earth are all framed by velvety tannins. Good, but not profound.
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10/22/2006 - MBrown wrote: 90 Points
Great wine and great value @$12. Red fruit shines through and mixes with tobacco. Nicely balanced wine.
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9/21/2006 - GSinger wrote: 93 Points
Nose of dark berries and vanilla, Strong framework, well balanced, with enough fruit to please but not overpower. Subtle hints of black licorice and spice. Dreadfully young at this point and I am kicking myself that I did not wait another year or five. Long, smooth woody finish. A big YUM!
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9/5/2006 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
Wow, there is so much of everything, its sensory overload. Huge pure and ripe fruit with strong notes of toasted oak as well as alcohol.
A rich, sweet syrupy wine abounding with blackberry, cassis, and pepsin. Very smooth with a belt of tannin, citric acid and ripened wild apple at the end.
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8/10/2006 - Cavalry19D wrote:
I ended up regretting opening this bottle of wine so young. Upon popping the cork, this wine was extremely tight. Color was completely opaque with zero light coming through. After a while, blackberry, black cherry, and powerful cassis framed with spice and smokey oak was revealed. Velvety smooth and fun to drink. Give it another 4-5 years and it should bloom into a very sold wine.
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12/3/2005 - trankin wrote: 89 Points
EOTC Holiday "Bring Your Favorite" night (My place): Sweetish but with some spice. A bit too sweet for me. Plums, blueberries. I pegged this as a syrah/shiraz.
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