Wow....deep licorice flavors along with very dark cherry flavours mixed with tobacco. This was so good that next time, no dinner. maybe just some Jambon Iberico,
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Agree with all the other notes that highlight the youthfulness of this wine. It's dark, concentrated, and almost syrupy. However, what I really miss in this bottle is the acidity and structure to go with it. When I first had this wine four years ago, it was all there and it was a 100-point wine for me. I've since had three other bottles of the '02 trying to chase the first experience but it just hasn't been the same. It could be bottle variation but it could also suggest that it's hit its peak. I have seven bottles left in the cellar and will keep you updated if anything changes.
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Jan 2023: Decanted 1.5 hours. First sip without food lay heavily on the palate with a long, long finish. At least 60 seconds. Tastes of dark chocolate, sweet cherries, soy sauce, and some brighter red fruit recalling the 1997 we had some years ago that seemed to hold a brand new life inside of it, not something that has been aging over two decades. We started the meal with a Thai-inspired coconut soup, and followed that with a rack of lamb, roasted chestnuts, and asparagus in a lemony sauce. This wine's aroma was reminiscent of the $50-80 cabernet I've been finding, only this was then better. A bit more yeast in the aroma, and a much longer lasting finish. The aroma haunting the glass, even an empty one, was as remarkable as the flavor. Dark chocolate, summer bing cherries so sweet it reminds you nature's sugar is the best sugar. Abreu is a rare experience, and the ones I get online I can never tell if they'll be good. Why would someone sell such a wine once they had it and knew what it was?
Arguably a bit more complex than most of the other California Cabernets on the table, including ‘05 Pahlmeyer, ‘12 Blankiet, ‘13 Lewis , this Abreu has some nice notes of bitter chocolate and cassis. It’s at peak and lively. For me, second on the night after the ‘02 Paul Hobbs yet far from compelling.
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Still incredibly youthful but so complex and layered. Dark black currant, black cherry, soy sauce, rich earth, iron, liquid stones, tobacco leaf, fresh herbs, and cocoa powder. The endless complexity reveals something new each time it is experienced. As is typical of Abreu wines, the richness is so beautifully complemented by the aromatic lift and, in this particular wine, the prominent mineral influence, which I have not found in most Abreu wines. This is sublime stuff:rich and fresh with endless complexity. New world Cabernet doesn’t get any better than this.
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Decanted 1 Hour, drank over the next 90 minutes. Very jammy, powerful, monolithic and young. Would wait 5 years before opening another bottle. Fans of Big California wines may love this now. Those who prefer more balance and elegance would be advised to wait.
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Still quite youthful out of the bottle, but opened up nicely after 30 minutes in the glass. This is great juice, in a really nice place right now... plenty of structure and the fruit is still very vibrant with nice acidity. No rush to drink up, this has many years left.
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Slow ox for 2 hours, enjoyed over 3 hours. Luscious soft mouth coating fruit, full bodied, monolithic, not much mineral or terroir, old wood, earth, medium tannin; 20 second finish. Not the multi-layered "wow" wine anticipated, yet delicious. 96+ I would not suggest waiting a few years to enjoy another.
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Pop and pour. Took 30 min of air to come around. Showing very well. More on the extracted spectrum with hints of plum/prune, but really nicely balance palate. Tasted next to the 07 Thor, which showed better, into.
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Graciously brought by old Lew last night to our post BB dinner at Fabio's. Deep ruby, dark fruit, med. tannins, long finish; delicious, but out shone by the 05 Spottswoode, possibly related to a longer decant. I suspect this wine is still evolving & it needs more time or a longer decant; delicious!
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Seemingly dull and monolithic when first opened, it blossomed beautifully in the Zalto Universal. Splendid sweet fragrance, juicy, disarmingly seductive. At peak. But of the 11 of us, I was the most enthusiastic and there was still some left in the bottle at the end of the night.
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Fortunate to have this bottle twice in the last week. Both performed extremely well. One had a tiny bit of prune on the nose, which I always dislike, but it didn’t seem to bother the others tasting it with me.
Truly amazing wine. Great mix of red and black fruits, cedar, and leather. Incredible tannin and acidity that just holds the tongue so well as it goes across your palate, even at age 16. Really nothing out of place.
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It seems mature to me, although still linear in the California Cult style. Excellent fruit, bold, somewhat oaky, tart. Very good with the strong flavored food at 3030 Ocean. Excellent to be sure, but not exciting.
I shared this with friends on 5/14/16. It had a fabulous, rich, expressive bouquet of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, charcoal, graphite and spice aromas. The palate was massive, powerful and absolutely delicious with flavors of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, mocha, cocoa, minerals and spice. This is an amazing wine that every cabernet lover should try.
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A magical wine that is showing almost everything you could want and maybe a bit more with a long life ahead. Dark dense blackberry and black cherry aromas feature prominently. In the mouth, it is full and concentrated with sweet ripe plum fruits laced with wonderful inner mouth energy. A seamless wine with a long finish and nice spice. Some good chewy on the end adds intrigue and points to a bright future. This is the type of wine that defines Cali Cults.
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BYO - US wines (NO.2): Quite sweet and concentrated fruit flavor. Definitely more fruit-forward than the 2001 but still a wonderful wine that impresses. It does lack just a little bit in the aftertaste to get me over the top but I really loved the compactness of the flavors.
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If Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is your thing, this wine belongs on your bucket list. This is so rich, the fruit coats your mouth and palate and stains your teeth, in all the best ways. Luscious, intense, yet perfectly balanced, the sweet, ripe, opulent fruit remains on your palate for more than 60 seconds!
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Super clean and very racy, this seamless wine holds humongous power and focus. The finish is a full length marathon and admirably, super duper bright and shining with sweetly balanced acidity. All this after 12 years and no sign of letting the throttle go anytime soon...
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The Madrona Ranch Cabernet is limited production wine, only 500 cases were made, and live the Thorevilos, it too received a perfect 100 points from Parker. Thankfully, I tasted this before knowing anything about the producer. Utterly seductive and elegant. Black raspberry, blueberry, graphite and lilacs. Opulent, silky and expansive on the palate. Glides to a finish with tobacco, clove and cocoa powder.
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Written the day after drinking this great wine. A wine of great balance and finesse with red fruit and soft tannins but the concentration to go a while longer in the cellar. This review does not do justice to this great wine from my favorite Napa Valley Vineyard!
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Eric's 40th Birthday Party: Big, expressive nose. Layers of dried berries, brown sugar, and graphite along with an earthy forest floor note. Very massive and mouth-filling with a supple, velvety mouthfeel. This is a beautiful wine in prime drinking window right now, but with plenty of stuffing to go for many more years.
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The first time I tried the 2002 I though it needed another 5 years in the bottle although it had already been in the bottle for 10 years! The key is to to decant the wine a minimum of 4 hours. It's massively huge wine with a 90 second finish. Hints of berry, minerals, very complex but well structured and very well balanced. the 2002 Madona Ranch is perhaps the most massive of Abreu's blends. It's mind blowing to see people compare a wine like Shafer Hillside with 25K cases of annual production to one with only 500 cases of production like Abreu's Madrona Ranch. I'll drink Abreu any day of the week and pass on Shafer Hillside Select in favor of one Abreu's better vintages;1997/2001/2002 Madrona Ranch or a 2001/2002/2007 Thorevilos. Don't forget the 2004 Madrona Ranch, it's the most affordable of Abreu's better vintages. David Abreu's best vintages represent the finest red wine that Napa Valley has to offer. The better Abreu vintages are difficult to find or expensive, however, prices on 1997 Madrona Ranch Cab are starting to come down and its an absolutely perfect Cab. Try one annd you'll be ahppy that you did but don't forget to decant any Abreu for at least 2 to 4 hours depending on the vintage. Popping and pouring is a waste and a costly mistake.
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was very worried when the cork crumbled on opening ... Completely dried out ... I bought it from WineBid and so don't know how it was stored. Anyway, fortunately the seal was intact and inside was a lush but elegant wine that stood up to grilled beefsteak and yet was gentle enough to sip long past dinner.
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Decanted and enjoyed over 4 hours. Improved and hit it's stride after 1 1/2 hours of aerification. The cork was in good shape and only minimally imbued with a dark purple stain. The wine had a maturing, dark, opaque burgundy hue. Some light sediment was present in the bottle. Big, distinct Napa Cab nose of creme de cassius, oak, and bing cherries. Elegant midpalate of red cassius, oak, dark berries and dust. 14.8% ALC which was detectable. Good finsh of decent length which ended with some peppery, tartness. Well crafted, refined Napa Cab. My only critique was that the oak was a bit strong which took away from the flavors of the wine to some degree. Regardless, this is a great wine and in my opinion is beginning to enter it's peak.
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A band of late-night Pirates and gypsies invaded my house after a large feast, and I had to find something to appease the motley crew. Luckily, I was bleary-eyed enough to claw my way into the cellar, and dig deep. Fate would have it that this little gem glued itself to my hands, and made its way up stairs just in the nick of time. This was truly the wine of the night. Rich, elegant, refined, with an unbelievable fruit profile, and a soft and luxurious finish that went on and on. It was so good that it disappeared in an instant, and the Pirates were extremely pleased. Given the fact that no other bottle could come close last night, we then immediately moved on to High West Whiskey, and wound up completely sideways, and silly, dancing to Raise Your Glass until well into the wee hours. A great treat for Michele's 41st birthday. Cheers!!
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DECANTED THREE+ HOURS, CONTINUED TO EVOLVE THROUGH DINNER THOUGH APPROACHABLE IMMEDIATELY. BLACK CHERRIES, CURRANTS & LEATHER IN THE NOSE W/ DEEP BLACK FRUITS IN THE FLAVOR. COMPLEX, LONG FINISH
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Still dark in color, an abundant perfume filled with cassis, blueberry, oak, coffee, incense and blackberry is a treat. Silky, round and with velvety tannins, this opulent, Napa Cabernet finishes with a long blast of chocolate covered blackberry and plums.
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Wine was surprisingly overoaked big time. But I believe in 10 years this wine will be very well integrated and should provide much pleasure. It seems built to last, but at the moment , it is still an infant and the oak overpowers the tastebuds. I am glad I got to try it. Abreu is a very well respected wine maker and I can see that this particular wine will reward patience, but disappoint those who choose not to wait.
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We didn't treat this very well and it responded in kind. It's all in there, it just needs the right glasses, some time to aerate, and the whole drill. This got nothing of the above list and so responded accordingly. Glad there's more coming!
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Very distinct fruit flavors that remind me of Bryant Family's Cabernet. Jammy with big, delicious flavors of black rasberries and boysenberries. Finishes thick and spicy with good intesnity and richness. Couln't match the sheer class and depth of the '99 Harlan drunk beside it but this is a lovely Napa Cab. Wild and powerful but not over the top. Tastes fairly ready.
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Wow! What a nose! If anyone ever makes a Cabernet perfume, they should use this as the reference for it. Very pure aromas of creme de cassis, blueberry, blackberry, spices, vanilla, and a floral component as well. On the palate it was thick, velvety, and mouthcoating yet still lithe. Long, persistent finish. I felt like I would have needed a tongue scraper had I wanted to rid myself of the lingering taste of the wine. This wine had perfect balance. Beautiful today, it's only going to get better. 98+
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Wow! This was great stuff. Very elegant as always, but with a depth and richness that trumps any other Abreu I have had. And it had perfect balance in a 2002 vintage.
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11/21/2023 - Highlander wrote:
Wow....deep licorice flavors along with very dark cherry flavours mixed with tobacco. This was so good that next time, no dinner. maybe just some Jambon Iberico,
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11/4/2023 - MariusA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Agree with all the other notes that highlight the youthfulness of this wine. It's dark, concentrated, and almost syrupy. However, what I really miss in this bottle is the acidity and structure to go with it. When I first had this wine four years ago, it was all there and it was a 100-point wine for me. I've since had three other bottles of the '02 trying to chase the first experience but it just hasn't been the same. It could be bottle variation but it could also suggest that it's hit its peak. I have seven bottles left in the cellar and will keep you updated if anything changes.
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1/14/2023 - John III Likes this wine: 97 Points
Jan 2023: Decanted 1.5 hours. First sip without food lay heavily on the palate with a long, long finish. At least 60 seconds. Tastes of dark chocolate, sweet cherries, soy sauce, and some brighter red fruit recalling the 1997 we had some years ago that seemed to hold a brand new life inside of it, not something that has been aging over two decades. We started the meal with a Thai-inspired coconut soup, and followed that with a rack of lamb, roasted chestnuts, and asparagus in a lemony sauce. This wine's aroma was reminiscent of the $50-80 cabernet I've been finding, only this was then better. A bit more yeast in the aroma, and a much longer lasting finish. The aroma haunting the glass, even an empty one, was as remarkable as the flavor. Dark chocolate, summer bing cherries so sweet it reminds you nature's sugar is the best sugar. Abreu is a rare experience, and the ones I get online I can never tell if they'll be good. Why would someone sell such a wine once they had it and knew what it was?
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7/4/2022 - warrenpeace wrote: 98 Points
Just superb and plenty of life left, at least 10 years. A strong core of fruit enveloped by silky tannins. Everything you would want in a Cali Cab.
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11/16/2021 - shaferguy91 wrote: 97 Points
Best Cab in a long time. No sign of decline.
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10/9/2021 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
Arguably a bit more complex than most of the other California Cabernets on the table, including ‘05 Pahlmeyer, ‘12 Blankiet, ‘13 Lewis , this Abreu has some nice notes of bitter chocolate and cassis. It’s at peak and lively. For me, second on the night after the ‘02 Paul Hobbs yet far from compelling.
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1/21/2021 - brettay wrote: 98 Points
Still incredibly youthful but so complex and layered. Dark black currant, black cherry, soy sauce, rich earth, iron, liquid stones, tobacco leaf, fresh herbs, and cocoa powder. The endless complexity reveals something new each time it is experienced. As is typical of Abreu wines, the richness is so beautifully complemented by the aromatic lift and, in this particular wine, the prominent mineral influence, which I have not found in most Abreu wines. This is sublime stuff:rich and fresh with endless complexity. New world Cabernet doesn’t get any better than this.
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8/2/2020 - mediamogul wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 1 Hour, drank over the next 90 minutes. Very jammy, powerful, monolithic and young. Would wait 5 years before opening another bottle. Fans of Big California wines may love this now. Those who prefer more balance and elegance would be advised to wait.
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5/11/2020 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Still quite youthful out of the bottle, but opened up nicely after 30 minutes in the glass. This is great juice, in a really nice place right now... plenty of structure and the fruit is still very vibrant with nice acidity. No rush to drink up, this has many years left.
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12/27/2019 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 96 Points
Slow ox for 2 hours, enjoyed over 3 hours. Luscious soft mouth coating fruit, full bodied, monolithic, not much mineral or terroir, old wood, earth, medium tannin; 20 second finish. Not the multi-layered "wow" wine anticipated, yet delicious. 96+ I would not suggest waiting a few years to enjoy another.
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8/13/2019 - Lateva wrote: 96 Points
Pop and pour. Took 30 min of air to come around.
Showing very well. More on the extracted spectrum with hints of plum/prune, but really nicely balance palate. Tasted next to the 07 Thor, which showed better, into.
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1/13/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Graciously brought by old Lew last night to our post BB dinner at Fabio's. Deep ruby, dark fruit, med. tannins, long finish; delicious, but out shone by the 05 Spottswoode, possibly related to a longer decant. I suspect this wine is still evolving & it needs more time or a longer decant; delicious!
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12/17/2018 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seemingly dull and monolithic when first opened, it blossomed beautifully in the Zalto Universal. Splendid sweet fragrance, juicy, disarmingly seductive. At peak. But of the 11 of us, I was the most enthusiastic and there was still some left in the bottle at the end of the night.
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6/22/2018 - bingram Likes this wine: 100 Points
Right off the chart! Perfect from the first taste to the last. Lucky to have 2 left as there is no hurry to drink them.
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5/5/2018 - Lateva Likes this wine: 98 Points
Fortunate to have this bottle twice in the last week. Both performed extremely well. One had a tiny bit of prune on the nose, which I always dislike, but it didn’t seem to bother the others tasting it with me.
Truly amazing wine. Great mix of red and black fruits, cedar, and leather. Incredible tannin and acidity that just holds the tongue so well as it goes across your palate, even at age 16. Really nothing out of place.
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1/13/2018 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
It seems mature to me, although still linear in the California Cult style. Excellent fruit, bold, somewhat oaky, tart. Very good with the strong flavored food at 3030 Ocean. Excellent to be sure, but not exciting.
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2/1/2017 - thepeng1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Beautiful with the tiniest hint of brett. Just enough to add to the interest.
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5/14/2016 - garambler Likes this wine: 97 Points
I shared this with friends on 5/14/16. It had a fabulous, rich, expressive bouquet of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, charcoal, graphite and spice aromas. The palate was massive, powerful and absolutely delicious with flavors of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, mocha, cocoa, minerals and spice. This is an amazing wine that every cabernet lover should try.
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4/24/2016 - Max Stryker Likes this wine: 99 Points
Velvet in a glass.
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11/19/2015 - KenK Likes this wine: 97 Points
A magical wine that is showing almost everything you could want and maybe a bit more with a long life ahead. Dark dense blackberry and black cherry aromas feature prominently. In the mouth, it is full and concentrated with sweet ripe plum fruits laced with wonderful inner mouth energy. A seamless wine with a long finish and nice spice. Some good chewy on the end adds intrigue and points to a bright future. This is the type of wine that defines Cali Cults.
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11/19/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote:
California Cult Cabernet dinner (Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL): Powerful black fruit that also manages to show restraint. Very good balance, length and textures. I enjoyed this a lot and thik it has upside potential from here.
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12/27/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 97 Points
Terrific. Maybe my wine of the year.
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11/28/2014 - canan wrote: 96 Points
BYO - US wines (NO.2): Quite sweet and concentrated fruit flavor. Definitely more fruit-forward than the 2001 but still a wonderful wine that impresses.
It does lack just a little bit in the aftertaste to get me over the top but I really loved the compactness of the flavors.
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11/24/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
If Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is your thing, this wine belongs on your bucket list. This is so rich, the fruit coats your mouth and palate and stains your teeth, in all the best ways. Luscious, intense, yet perfectly balanced, the sweet, ripe, opulent fruit remains on your palate for more than 60 seconds!
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11/17/2014 - Purple Tooth wrote: 99 Points
Super clean and very racy, this seamless wine holds humongous power and focus. The finish is a full length marathon and admirably, super duper bright and shining with sweetly balanced acidity. All this after 12 years and no sign of letting the throttle go anytime soon...
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7/27/2014 - Christine Havens wrote: 98 Points
The Madrona Ranch Cabernet is limited production wine, only 500 cases were made, and live the Thorevilos, it too received a perfect 100 points from Parker. Thankfully, I tasted this before knowing anything about the producer. Utterly seductive and elegant. Black raspberry, blueberry, graphite and lilacs. Opulent, silky and expansive on the palate. Glides to a finish with tobacco, clove and cocoa powder.
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5/10/2014 - nfafoglia Likes this wine: 98 Points
Written the day after drinking this great wine. A wine of great balance and finesse with red fruit and soft tannins but the concentration to go a while longer in the cellar. This review does not do justice to this great wine from my favorite Napa Valley Vineyard!
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5/3/2014 - UPL Likes this wine: 100 Points
i see the light..........
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4/6/2013 - elamasters wrote: 98 Points
Eric's 40th Birthday Party: Big, expressive nose. Layers of dried berries, brown sugar, and graphite along with an earthy forest floor note. Very massive and mouth-filling with a supple, velvety mouthfeel. This is a beautiful wine in prime drinking window right now, but with plenty of stuffing to go for many more years.
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1/19/2013 - SF_Wine Likes this wine: 99 Points
The first time I tried the 2002 I though it needed another 5 years in the bottle although it had already been in the bottle for 10 years! The key is to to decant the wine a minimum of 4 hours. It's massively huge wine with a 90 second finish. Hints of berry, minerals, very complex but well structured and very well balanced. the 2002 Madona Ranch is perhaps the most massive of Abreu's blends. It's mind blowing to see people compare a wine like Shafer Hillside with 25K cases of annual production to one with only 500 cases of production like Abreu's Madrona Ranch. I'll drink Abreu any day of the week and pass on Shafer Hillside Select in favor of one Abreu's better vintages;1997/2001/2002 Madrona Ranch or a 2001/2002/2007 Thorevilos. Don't forget the 2004 Madrona Ranch, it's the most affordable of Abreu's better vintages. David Abreu's best vintages represent the finest red wine that Napa Valley has to offer. The better Abreu vintages are difficult to find or expensive, however, prices on 1997 Madrona Ranch Cab are starting to come down and its an absolutely perfect Cab. Try one annd you'll be ahppy that you did but don't forget to decant any Abreu for at least 2 to 4 hours depending on the vintage. Popping and pouring is a waste and a costly mistake.
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12/31/2012 - MrCraigo wrote: 100 Points
It doesnt get any better than this. An amazing wine that I wish I had more of
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6/16/2012 - A&C wrote: 96 Points
Enjoyed at a friend's 40th birthday party at Solage by the pool. The night was off the charts, as was this wine.
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9/17/2011 - Niagara wrote: 94 Points
was very worried when the cork crumbled on opening ... Completely dried out ... I bought it from WineBid and so don't know how it was stored. Anyway, fortunately the seal was intact and inside was a lush but elegant wine that stood up to grilled beefsteak and yet was gentle enough to sip long past dinner.
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6/3/2011 - B Dub wrote: 95 Points
Decanted and enjoyed over 4 hours. Improved and hit it's stride after 1 1/2 hours of aerification. The cork was in good shape and only minimally imbued with a dark purple stain. The wine had a maturing, dark, opaque burgundy hue. Some light sediment was present in the bottle. Big, distinct Napa Cab nose of creme de cassius, oak, and bing cherries. Elegant midpalate of red cassius, oak, dark berries and dust. 14.8% ALC which was detectable. Good finsh of decent length which ended with some peppery, tartness.
Well crafted, refined Napa Cab. My only critique was that the oak was a bit strong which took away from the flavors of the wine to some degree. Regardless, this is a great wine and in my opinion is beginning to enter it's peak.
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2/5/2011 - Niagara wrote: 97 Points
Anise, tar, stewed fruit, vanilla, summer sunshine. Exquisite.
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1/7/2011 - A&C wrote: 94 Points
A band of late-night Pirates and gypsies invaded my house after a large feast, and I had to find something to appease the motley crew. Luckily, I was bleary-eyed enough to claw my way into the cellar, and dig deep. Fate would have it that this little gem glued itself to my hands, and made its way up stairs just in the nick of time. This was truly the wine of the night. Rich, elegant, refined, with an unbelievable fruit profile, and a soft and luxurious finish that went on and on. It was so good that it disappeared in an instant, and the Pirates were extremely pleased. Given the fact that no other bottle could come close last night, we then immediately moved on to High West Whiskey, and wound up completely sideways, and silly, dancing to Raise Your Glass until well into the wee hours. A great treat for Michele's 41st birthday. Cheers!!
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10/7/2010 - buckeye76 wrote: 97 Points
DECANTED THREE+ HOURS, CONTINUED TO EVOLVE THROUGH DINNER THOUGH APPROACHABLE IMMEDIATELY. BLACK CHERRIES, CURRANTS & LEATHER IN THE NOSE W/ DEEP BLACK FRUITS IN THE FLAVOR. COMPLEX, LONG FINISH
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6/19/2010 - Melli wrote: 99 Points
Flirting with perfection!
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5/6/2010 - Phin wrote: 99 Points
Huge viscous density. Unbelievable layers of velvety rich black fruits. Finishes forever. As good as it gets for me...
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3/28/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Still dark in color, an abundant perfume filled with cassis, blueberry, oak, coffee, incense and blackberry is a treat. Silky, round and with velvety tannins, this opulent, Napa Cabernet finishes with a long blast of chocolate covered blackberry and plums.
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12/10/2009 - wallstreet wrote:
Wine was surprisingly overoaked big time. But I believe in 10 years this wine will be very well integrated and should provide much pleasure. It seems built to last, but at the moment , it is still an infant and the oak overpowers the tastebuds. I am glad I got to try it. Abreu is a very well respected wine maker and I can see that this particular wine will reward patience, but disappoint those who choose not to wait.
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12/10/2009 - drycab wrote:
Woody, smokey big unbalanced wine this time. I'll wait on the others.
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12/9/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
too young to drink, the wine needs serious time. I found it a bit alcoholic on the finish and woody in between.
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9/17/2009 - drycab wrote: 93 Points
We didn't treat this very well and it responded in kind. It's all in there, it just needs the right glasses, some time to aerate, and the whole drill. This got nothing of the above list and so responded accordingly. Glad there's more coming!
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8/10/2008 - dream wrote: 93 Points
Very distinct fruit flavors that remind me of Bryant Family's Cabernet. Jammy with big, delicious flavors of black rasberries and boysenberries. Finishes thick and spicy with good intesnity and richness. Couln't match the sheer class and depth of the '99 Harlan drunk beside it but this is a lovely Napa Cab. Wild and powerful but not over the top. Tastes fairly ready.
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11/26/2007 - rsepulve wrote: 98 Points
Wow! What a nose! If anyone ever makes a Cabernet perfume, they should use this as the reference for it. Very pure aromas of creme de cassis, blueberry, blackberry, spices, vanilla, and a floral component as well. On the palate it was thick, velvety, and mouthcoating yet still lithe. Long, persistent finish. I felt like I would have needed a tongue scraper had I wanted to rid myself of the lingering taste of the wine. This wine had perfect balance. Beautiful today, it's only going to get better. 98+
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9/29/2007 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 99 Points
Amazing wine - the finish is over 20 seconds long.
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9/28/2007 - bdenuyl wrote:
Wow! This was great stuff. Very elegant as always, but with a depth and richness that trumps any other Abreu I have had. And it had perfect balance in a 2002 vintage.
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2/27/2007 - Alpine wrote: 96 Points
Drank at a Wine Warlocks dinner at Pomme. Open for 6 hours wonderful blueberries and blackberries...One of the wine to receive votes for WOTN.
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