This Bordeaux style wine was drinking in top form, balanced, velvety and pleasantly rounded with blackberry and well integrated oak. It somehow managed to be voluptuous without being heavy. Very structured and a real pleasure to drink with food.
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The last of my three pack... Stellar wine from start to finish. Gave it a good two hour decant. Beautiful dark fruits intermingled with cedar and spice notes, and then the loam and minerals sneak their way in as the gently and slowly fade off a long taste profile carried by smooth tannin.
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Enjoyed over 3 days--with about an hour out of the bottle before enjoying. You have to give it a solid swirl in the glass to smell anything other than the heat. Midly elevated acidity. Cedar notes on relatively thin and mildly drying fruit. Overall underwhelming. But I note that I've never really enjoyed GIII fruit so I'm likely just not a fan of these grapes (as opposed to the winemaking). Maybe this bottle did not hold up to time.
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A friend brought over to War Horse private club. What a bottle! Perfect in every way. Great nose of classic California Cabernet. So balanced. Was decanted for 2 hours.
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Second of three bottles. Four hour decant. Beautiful candy cherry and cedar perfume on the nose. Dark and medium fruits on the palate with a seamless integration with the tannin. Simply a remarkable wine from the beginning to the end of a 45-60 second taste with each sip.
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Powerful wine, with deep dark fruit and medium tannins. Briefly decanted, but would recommend a few hours before drinking. This wine is built to last...can drink now, but I might hold this a few more years with the expectation of improved complexity. Sad to see our last bottle go!
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Fragrant nose, deep purple. To me this wine is 1 part Napa, 1 part Bordeaux. Well made, balanced. Plenty of structure, this should go the distance. Well done. VERY GOOD.
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Decanted for 4 hours. Showing oak at first but blows off with more air. Nice tobacco note on the nose which is very enjoyable. Nice fruit on the palate and good finish. The wine should integrate after more time in bottle.
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Decanted for 4 hours. This wine is showing lots of black and red fruit with nice firm tannins. Nice length on the finish with a hint of dust and smoke.
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Nose smells just like a barrel room. Light color and body. Somewhat thinner than I was expecting after recently sampling the 2008. Purposely acidic for full mouthfeel. Black raspberries are the primary fruit flavor. Medium, but smooth tannins.
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What can I say that I haven't said before about the utterly breathtaking wines of Larry Fairchild? Consistency, nobility, sophistication, and grace come to mind, although I'm pretty sure I've used these words many times before. Having tasted through 5 vintages of his offerings, I've come to the realization that his vision and house style speak to me on a profoundly personal level. These wines embody all I could ask for.
The 2010 Fairchild GIII hits my sweet spot once again. As always, it speaks more of its Californian roots than it's Sigaro breathern. The nose evokes a basket of freshly picked black cherries intermixed with dark chocolate, spring flowers, top soil, menthol, and a dash of cinnamon. To me this is a bit more deft on the palate than the '09. Nonetheless, the balance, focus, and noble structure I've come to expect from Fairchild is ever present. A bit more polished than in previous years, it still touts vibrant acid, decadent richness, and a spherical mouthfeel. The rich and juicy finish fans out like a peacocks tail. This was sublime with a beautiful cut of local grass fed beef tenderloin.
Once again, Larry Fairchild and co. have crafted a wine that delivers all I could ever ask for in a California cabernet sauvignon. In a crowded marketplace, I am sure to earmark funds as not to miss out. I remain forevermore a Fairchild devote. These wines are that compelling.
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2/19/2022 - Ravi Deshpande Likes this wine: 93 Points
This Bordeaux style wine was drinking in top form, balanced, velvety and pleasantly rounded with blackberry and well integrated oak. It somehow managed to be voluptuous without being heavy. Very structured and a real pleasure to drink with food.
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2/6/2022 - drmarc61 wrote: 98 Points
The last of my three pack... Stellar wine from start to finish. Gave it a good two hour decant. Beautiful dark fruits intermingled with cedar and spice notes, and then the loam and minerals sneak their way in as the gently and slowly fade off a long taste profile carried by smooth tannin.
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12/13/2021 - mdvillaverde wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed over 3 days--with about an hour out of the bottle before enjoying. You have to give it a solid swirl in the glass to smell anything other than the heat. Midly elevated acidity. Cedar notes on relatively thin and mildly drying fruit. Overall underwhelming. But I note that I've never really enjoyed GIII fruit so I'm likely just not a fan of these grapes (as opposed to the winemaking). Maybe this bottle did not hold up to time.
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3/22/2019 - rashcar Likes this wine: 97 Points
A friend brought over to War Horse private club. What a bottle! Perfect in every way. Great nose of classic California Cabernet. So balanced. Was decanted for 2 hours.
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4/3/2018 - drmarc61 wrote: 98 Points
Second of three bottles. Four hour decant. Beautiful candy cherry and cedar perfume on the nose. Dark and medium fruits on the palate with a seamless integration with the tannin. Simply a remarkable wine from the beginning to the end of a 45-60 second taste with each sip.
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11/18/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Powerful wine, with deep dark fruit and medium tannins. Briefly decanted, but would recommend a few hours before drinking. This wine is built to last...can drink now, but I might hold this a few more years with the expectation of improved complexity. Sad to see our last bottle go!
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4/21/2017 - drmarc61 wrote: 98 Points
Stunning wine! Does not come across as too heavy, but the depth and the flavors on the palate went on and on!
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9/10/2016 - andrewdl Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely perfect after 4 hrs open.
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8/18/2016 - andrewdl Likes this wine: 98 Points
Killer stuff!
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10/22/2015 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fragrant nose, deep purple. To me this wine is 1 part Napa, 1 part Bordeaux. Well made, balanced. Plenty of structure, this should go the distance. Well done. VERY GOOD.
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2/21/2015 - Iacs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big bold full bodied cab. Delicious!
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9/15/2014 - H Crenshaw wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Showing oak at first but blows off with more air. Nice tobacco note on the nose which is very enjoyable. Nice fruit on the palate and good finish. The wine should integrate after more time in bottle.
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5/5/2014 - fine137 wrote: 92 Points
Tons of new oak upon opening, resolved after several hours. Not ready for near term consumption, unless you love oaky.
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4/12/2014 - Barbaro wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. This wine is showing lots of black and red fruit with nice firm tannins. Nice length on the finish with a hint of dust and smoke.
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7/15/2013 - bigdomer wrote: 91 Points
Nose smells just like a barrel room. Light color and body. Somewhat thinner than I was expecting after recently sampling the 2008. Purposely acidic for full mouthfeel. Black raspberries are the primary fruit flavor. Medium, but smooth tannins.
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6/7/2013 - etherscreen wrote: 97 Points
What can I say that I haven't said before about the utterly breathtaking wines of Larry Fairchild? Consistency, nobility, sophistication, and grace come to mind, although I'm pretty sure I've used these words many times before. Having tasted through 5 vintages of his offerings, I've come to the realization that his vision and house style speak to me on a profoundly personal level. These wines embody all I could ask for.
The 2010 Fairchild GIII hits my sweet spot once again. As always, it speaks more of its Californian roots than it's Sigaro breathern. The nose evokes a basket of freshly picked black cherries intermixed with dark chocolate, spring flowers, top soil, menthol, and a dash of cinnamon. To me this is a bit more deft on the palate than the '09. Nonetheless, the balance, focus, and noble structure I've come to expect from Fairchild is ever present. A bit more polished than in previous years, it still touts vibrant acid, decadent richness, and a spherical mouthfeel. The rich and juicy finish fans out like a peacocks tail. This was sublime with a beautiful cut of local grass fed beef tenderloin.
Once again, Larry Fairchild and co. have crafted a wine that delivers all I could ever ask for in a California cabernet sauvignon. In a crowded marketplace, I am sure to earmark funds as not to miss out. I remain forevermore a Fairchild devote. These wines are that compelling.
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