decanted for 30 minutes starting 1 hour 15 minutes prior to serving, then back in bottle. Really ripe and sweet on the palate, with less smoke on the nose. More savory. Very smooth 2 hours after opening, very plummy, almost like stewed prunes. At 3 hours in this showed more woodsy notes and also more smoke.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blanco brought this to Kittle House last nite--our final entry of the evening. Decanted for hours and still a very big, bold and powerful wine. Aroma of black fruit, wood and leather. Full bodied, lots of ripe black fruit on the palate, though not over the top as with many CA fruit bombs (Clearly its lengthy bottle age has calmed this baby dramatically--I can only imagine/dread what it was like 10 years ago...). Plenty of leather, tar, earth & tobacco here, so I understand the bordeaux-like descriptions provided by other CT writers. Nonetheless, I would never confuse this wine with anything French; it's clearly a new world wine, though a more subtle, not-so-hot example of one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and poured at cellar temperature. After 90 minutes opened and softened. World class bouquet of violets, raisins, blackberries, rosemary, shellac, and white pepper. On the palate strawberry, cassis, black pepper, tangerine, leather. Long finish of leather and coffee with too much black pepper. A bit too hot for my taste or I would rate it even higher. Rock star.
ORANGE RED ON THE EDGE. LICORICE, LEAD PENCIL, BLACKBERRIES, AND BLACKCURRANTS IN THE NOSE. BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, AND EARTHINESS IN THE FLAVOR. BORDEAUX LIKE, COMPLEX. LONG SILKY FNSH
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed this with a great friend. Accompanied with a variety of strong cheeses and a loaf of sourdough. The wine was beautiful- well balanced and soft, with good fruit. Inky purple with no fade at the edges. The bouquet and taste opened and developed over the course of 90 minutes- it was still going strong when we finished the bottle. Still drinking very well given the good storage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Huge bouquet, we could smell the red fruit from across the table! Delicious wine...supple tannins, lots of fruit and long finish. Can't imagine this will get any better from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted about an hour before drinking. Had alongside veal Milanese and gnocchi in pink sauce at Toscana. Really nice fruit, still tons of life but agree with other reviews that the alcohol is evident. Calmed down with more time in the glass. A fair amount of sediment. Consistent with prior bottle I had about 2 years ago. Still, good stuff, very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The most outstanding wine I've tried, to date. Exploding flavors of ripe black cherries, blackberries, with a chocolate like character. Well integrated, with a coating finish lasting 30 to 40 minutes after the bottle was finished. If money were no object this I would buy this winery!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened about 2 hours before drinking (no decant). This is really singing right now. A bit of alcohol on the nose, but on the palate it's plums and cranberries and just luscious red fruit in general. There's a secondary note of wet grass or leather, but the fruit dominates. Drank over the course of the afternoon and didn't see much evolution during that time. Ready to drink now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needed 1.5hrs to let the alcohol cool off, but after that fantastic. Super long finish, tannins gone but will still had good structure. Not likely to get any better at this point so drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Silky smooth and velvety with great balance and texture
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great bottle. A little hot on the open - gave it an hour in the decanter and it became silky smooth. Had the texture and feel of a first growth Bordeaux - refined, integrated.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Only decanted for about an hour... drank after a 96 Palmer and a 96 Pichon-Baron... least liked of the 3 (but only slightly)... perhaps would have been better to decant for longer... still tight. Delicious deep dark red to almost purple color. Red cherry, plum, bit of graphite. Narrow finish is right...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tested it side by side with Pavie 1999, almost the same !!!
Strong scent of American oak, vanilla, tons of fruits, good dept and full of passion. Full-bodied, more California like than the Vecina 2000, good balance, hard tannin, delicious but too sweet for me at the end. Good finished. Too expensive !!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very closed initially. Nose opened up after 3 hours in decanter to wonderful full fruit. Initial taste and mid-palate showed same fruit with medium body. The finish however fell short to nonexistant. I think Parker's note said the finish "narrows", translation "super weak". Big disappointment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
WIML92,WA90,WS94 Tasted October 1, 2005 at an offline so brief comments only. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Restaurant Series Bordeaux stem. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of green peppers, black pepper, maybe some plum. Tight as a drum and not giving up anything. Flavors of red cherries, plums, maybe some mocha. Once again, tight as a drum. We didn’t do this bottle justice by simply popping it open and running with it. My initial reaction was this was a high 80s wine scorewise but on second thought I think this wine would be at least 2-3 points higher if given an hour in the decanter or another 5 years in the bottle. I’d hold for another 3-4 years before trying if I only had a few or splash decant and let sit for a hour if opening now. I’d pass myself.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a wine you seldom see in Europe. Jean Paul Remon of Vinesse, importer of Harlan in Belgium, graceously let us taste it. I like this immensely, as you can see from the score. Balanced Oakville cab wit tar, coffee, bacon, jammy fruit, lots of glycerine and lots of material. This is of course young and needs time. I'm not sure I would want to pay the asking price (well, to be honest, I'm sure I wouldn't), but it is a memorable Napa wine nonetheless.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/4/2021 - Peech Likes this wine: 94 Points
decanted for 30 minutes starting 1 hour 15 minutes prior to serving, then back in bottle. Really ripe and sweet on the palate, with less smoke on the nose. More savory. Very smooth 2 hours after opening, very plummy, almost like stewed prunes. At 3 hours in this showed more woodsy notes and also more smoke.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2016 - cephomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blanco brought this to Kittle House last nite--our final entry of the evening. Decanted for hours and still a very big, bold and powerful wine. Aroma of black fruit, wood and leather. Full bodied, lots of ripe black fruit on the palate, though not over the top as with many CA fruit bombs (Clearly its lengthy bottle age has calmed this baby dramatically--I can only imagine/dread what it was like 10 years ago...). Plenty of leather, tar, earth & tobacco here, so I understand the bordeaux-like descriptions provided by other CT writers. Nonetheless, I would never confuse this wine with anything French; it's clearly a new world wine, though a more subtle, not-so-hot example of one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2016 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 90 Points
WE DID a side by side versus 2012 Cakebread cab and the Cakebread won out
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted and poured at cellar temperature. After 90 minutes opened and softened. World class bouquet of violets, raisins, blackberries, rosemary, shellac, and white pepper. On the palate strawberry, cassis, black pepper, tangerine, leather. Long finish of leather and coffee with too much black pepper. A bit too hot for my taste or I would rate it even higher. Rock star.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/30/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
ORANGE RED ON THE EDGE. LICORICE, LEAD PENCIL, BLACKBERRIES, AND BLACKCURRANTS IN THE NOSE. BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, AND EARTHINESS IN THE FLAVOR. BORDEAUX LIKE, COMPLEX. LONG SILKY FNSH
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2015 - datorr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed this with a great friend. Accompanied with a variety of strong cheeses and a loaf of sourdough. The wine was beautiful- well balanced and soft, with good fruit. Inky purple with no fade at the edges. The bouquet and taste opened and developed over the course of 90 minutes- it was still going strong when we finished the bottle. Still drinking very well given the good storage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2015 - InflationHedge Likes this wine: 95 Points
Huge bouquet, we could smell the red fruit from across the table! Delicious wine...supple tannins, lots of fruit and long finish. Can't imagine this will get any better from here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2014 - Fid wrote: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour before drinking. Had alongside veal Milanese and gnocchi in pink sauce at Toscana. Really nice fruit, still tons of life but agree with other reviews that the alcohol is evident. Calmed down with more time in the glass. A fair amount of sediment. Consistent with prior bottle I had about 2 years ago. Still, good stuff, very enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2014 - Rikito wrote: 95 Points
The most outstanding wine I've tried, to date. Exploding flavors of ripe black cherries, blackberries, with a chocolate like character. Well integrated, with a coating finish lasting 30 to 40 minutes after the bottle was finished. If money were no object this I would buy this winery!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2013 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened about 2 hours before drinking (no decant). This is really singing right now. A bit of alcohol on the nose, but on the palate it's plums and cranberries and just luscious red fruit in general. There's a secondary note of wet grass or leather, but the fruit dominates. Drank over the course of the afternoon and didn't see much evolution during that time. Ready to drink now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2013 - bmartz1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needed 1.5hrs to let the alcohol cool off, but after that fantastic. Super long finish, tannins gone but will still had good structure. Not likely to get any better at this point so drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2012 - arniec wrote: 92 Points
Nice bottle. No tannins. Still lots of fruit. Side by side I liked the Vencia better tonight with steak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2012 - arniec wrote: 94 Points
In a really nice place. Well integrated; Lots of dark red fruit; No tannins. Probably has several more years. Really nice mouth feel.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2012 - Rcorrao wrote: 95 Points
Big CDP style wine. Beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2012 - DecoEd wrote: 97 Points
Last bottle of 2000... Glad I have younger ones...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2011 - DecoEd wrote: 97 Points
Great silky wine...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2011 - shiel wrote: 96 Points
One of the best Napa Cabs ever.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2011 - shiel wrote: 96 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Silky smooth and velvety with great balance and texture
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2011 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
Superb, one of the very best 2000's I've ever had. Rich, tasty, clean, clear. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2011 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle. A little hot on the open - gave it an hour in the decanter and it became silky smooth. Had the texture and feel of a first growth Bordeaux - refined, integrated.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2010 - vumansky wrote: 90 Points
Only decanted for about an hour... drank after a 96 Palmer and a 96 Pichon-Baron... least liked of the 3 (but only slightly)... perhaps would have been better to decant for longer... still tight. Delicious deep dark red to almost purple color. Red cherry, plum, bit of graphite. Narrow finish is right...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2009 - nvandyk wrote: 89 Points
Well made wine with unintegrated tannins and a comparative shallowness of fruit that betray the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2008 - scravis wrote:
Xmas Dinner 2007
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2008 - Bressler wrote: 92 Points
smooth and elegant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2007 - noppakit s. wrote: 92 Points
Tested it side by side with Pavie 1999, almost the same !!!
Strong scent of American oak, vanilla, tons of fruits, good dept and full of passion. Full-bodied, more California like than the Vecina 2000, good balance, hard tannin, delicious but too sweet for me at the end. Good finished. Too expensive !!!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2007 - loverboy wrote: 94 Points
Serious wine with deep dark ruby colour. Very fruity nose . Super concentrated high tannin . Very delicious wine. Very long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2007 - Phin wrote: 85 Points
Very closed initially. Nose opened up after 3 hours in decanter to wonderful full fruit. Initial taste and mid-palate showed same fruit with medium body. The finish however fell short to nonexistant. I think Parker's note said the finish "narrows", translation "super weak". Big disappointment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2006 - tstan wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding, decanted 3 hours before drinking
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2005 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92,WA90,WS94
Tasted October 1, 2005 at an offline so brief comments only. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Restaurant Series Bordeaux stem. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of green peppers, black pepper, maybe some plum. Tight as a drum and not giving up anything. Flavors of red cherries, plums, maybe some mocha. Once again, tight as a drum. We didn’t do this bottle justice by simply popping it open and running with it. My initial reaction was this was a high 80s wine scorewise but on second thought I think this wine would be at least 2-3 points higher if given an hour in the decanter or another 5 years in the bottle. I’d hold for another 3-4 years before trying if I only had a few or splash decant and let sit for a hour if opening now. I’d pass myself.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2005 - jhngo wrote: 94 Points
Great wine but soft compared to the Vecina. This is a smooth silky wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2005 - Jozefs wrote: 96 Points
This is a wine you seldom see in Europe. Jean Paul Remon of Vinesse, importer of Harlan in Belgium, graceously let us taste it. I like this immensely, as you can see from the score. Balanced Oakville cab wit tar, coffee, bacon, jammy fruit, lots of glycerine and lots of material. This is of course young and needs time. I'm not sure I would want to pay the asking price (well, to be honest, I'm sure I wouldn't), but it is a memorable Napa wine nonetheless.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment