WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Liked but didn't love this in the blind tasting, though a leftover glass showed better much later in the night with more air. Compared to the other wines on the table, the fruit feels more restrained and there's more of an earthy/savoury character here. But the palate also feels a bit lean, and the tannins stick out on the finish.
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All you could want in an aged Napa cab. Delicate, but not weak. Full of flavor, but not like an older French wine. Long finish, good color, and something you could linger with. Excellent.
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OK, herbal and earthy. After decanting drank over the next two hours. Little bitter at first and fruit for lack of a better phrase was "weird". However, toward end I sensed a lot of tannin left, and fruit went more toward berry and the wine came together. Hanging on to last bottle for a couple of more years.
My WotN. Kept this bottle closer to me at the table. Needed 30 min of air but was ready to roll after that. Almost fully Integrated tannins, medium plus body and still plenty of fruit. Cork split at opening. This made me regret not having a ton of this in my cellar. A fabulous napa cab.
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Maybe wine does get better with age. This seemed like what you want with a 20 year old fine wine. Balanced but still fruity, deep and complex. May be plateauing now. Enjoy
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From Magnum, dark purple, still has beautiful dark fruit. Fine grained tannins in perfect balance. Finish lingers a full minute. Could have waited, but was excellent now.
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I don’t know. I like the flavors at first but tannins everywhere continue to overwhelm me. More decanting and waiting I guess. Or maybe it’s just me getting old.
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As gorgeous a big Cali cab as I've had in recent memory. Seductive deep blue and red fruits without being jammy and very fine tannins with complete integration of oak.
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2 years since we had this last ( Papies 93) and this youthful , purplish tinted wine needs a decent decant at this stage. Frankly we are not sure if wit time this gets better as the juicy punchy side to it has a charm that works at this stage albeit we would have loved to have another bottle to try it down the line. A very pretty wine and a worthy 92-93 nonetheless.
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From 375 purchased upon release. Amazingly tight cork shows virtually no seepage. Initial notes follow an hour decant. Forest floor, earth, mushrooms and faint red berries on the nose.
Still plenty of structure here, more pronounced in std stems and nuanced in Somm stems. Displays the softer, European house style, but after 2+ hrs I have to question its longevity in this format. If inventory is right I’ve got 2 more of these, which I’ll drink this year
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Intense eucalyptus nose. Extremely rich and tannic still, with an inky full palate. A little sweeter than my taste, but very in line with a good cali cab. Showing well now but I wouldn’t think at peak.
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Cork pulled a couple hours in advance and allowed to slow-ox. The color is deep garnet with a near opaque core and perhaps some slight browning towards the rim but color looks great. There’s significant sediment now. Powerful aromas of black currants, dark cherries, tobacco, green pepper, and baking spices. On the palate, the structure is still pretty sturdy even though the tannins have integrated well. The fruit is ripe and quite delicious and taking on some secondary notes of leather, mushrooms and decomposed earth. The acid giving the wine the lift and energy necessary at 18 years old. A lovely wine that, while at peak, has quite a bit of good life left in it. Drink before 2029.
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Enjoyed over the course of a few hours. Deep purple in color with medium plus intensity. Both red and black fruits here. Secondary notes of oak and spice. Some earth and leather notes coming through. Even after a few hours, this still felt like it was holding back a bit. Would give it a much ox time or long decant. There is plenty left here and going strong.
Epic Napa Trip - Day 1: Tasted at Chateau Montelena - My favorite wine of the tasting! Great balance between fruit and secondary flavors...plenty of dark and red fruit on the nose and palate, along with some purple flower notes on the nose. Both nose and palate showed clove and other spices, tree bark and some minerals notes, as well as wisps of toasty oak. Very nice and drinking quite well! 94 and should hold here for a while.
Napa trip day 1: Drank a small glass over 1 hour at the winery. Leather, red fruit, classic aged Montelena. Blackcurrant, bramble, strawberry, hint of cloves, blackberries, flowers and a layered gravelly texture
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This wine has perplexed me previously and did again this time. Slow oxed for one hour. The wine is quite bordeaux like in style, not at all decadent or flamboyant as was the fashion for cabs of the time - which is a good thing. But it is also austere and seems to be in a shell with the oak not fully integrated lending a bit of a woody taste to it. It will be interesting to see if this blossoms over time or always stays a bit disjointed.
This was one of the most appealing Napa cabs I recall ever having, dark inky purple colored with incredible floral aromas and fruit flavors bursting from the glass, elegant and polished, bordering on exotic, bright expressive, concentrated but superbly integrated, seductive smooth silky ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with notes anise and tobacco leaf, hints of cinnamon and clove spices, mocha and eucalyptus continuing on and on with a lingering finish. This was so tasty, it would've been pleasurable drinking by all by itself, or paired with about any grilled meat or stew or just bread and any moderate cheese, but it stood up nicely to the tangy BBQ as well.
A spectacular treat. As highly rated as 2004 Napa Cabernet was, almost every bottle I drink exceeds expectations. We drank this with friends Linda and Rick M, the night following a gala wine dinner. Linda prepared ribs which did cause us to rethink the order of wines as the Montelena would have been overwhelmed by the delicious, spicy barbecue.
After dinner and almost 2 hours after opening, we finally got to the Montelena. Inky purple still. Full of dark cherry, black raspberry, chocolate and hints of sweet vanilla and eucalyptus on the palate. Maybe a bit of tobacco on the back palate rounded out this elegant, classic, historic cabernet. Tannins had diminished as expected after 17 years but were still evident. This had a long, lingering, 35 second finish. After some discussion we agreed that this was best enjoyed without food to appreciate the nuanced layers. A little chocolate or some cheese would be fine but this wine calls for no distractions. Glad I have another bottle.
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This wine is EPIC. Such a great example of 2 things: 1. How great California Cabernet can be; 2. How useless some ratings are. So beautiful, soft lush tannins, great fruit. Perfect balance. This has been in the cellar a long time, and patience has been greatly rewarded. This wine is so beautiful.
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Decanted for three hours, needed four. Absolutely stunning. Vibrant, inviting, approachable. Old world style with mainly dark fruits, tobacco, graphite and a hint of cherry. Will hold together for many years to come. Outstanding!
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Decanted for 60-90 minutes, which was absolutely required. Medium++ body with great red fruit coming alive only after decant. Well resolved tannins. Long finish. After about 2-2.5hrs, wine started to head down hill. I would drink up in the next 3-5 years.
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this wine was hitting on all cylinders last night. Drank with grilled beef tenderloin. This wine was the essence of an elegant aged Cab. Lots of subtle fruit, smoke, licorice, and earth. Good from the opening... no decant needed. Happy to have a few more to follow in the coming years. One of the best Montelena's I have had.
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Coravin immediate sample. Very floral and not much of cassis, more dark blackberry and cherry. Sweetish but withheld fruit with herbal notes. Violets. Rather tannic still and lean for a Calicab. More like a left bank Bordeaux. Good acidity. Didn’t get any air this time. Fresh and vital but not much of complexity at this stage. Save for much longer if you’re after a mature wine, but I cannot say you have to.
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Beautifully integrated tannins, rich cassis and plum fruit, some subtle paddock, and rich all American oak finish. Still to me the bellwether for traditional Napa cab and could easily go another ten plus years.
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3.5 hrs after decanting this lacks the depth and nuance of my last bottle of this vintage ~18 months ago. While there iample dry tanniin on the finish, diminishing during the drinking window, most of the fruit has dissipated… Again, at least from this bottle.
This was purchased from the winery upon release and was pulled out of its OWC. While I know there are some who will say I didn’t give this enough air, my notes from this and other bottles may reflect inconsistent damage from my 2017 relo.
Whatever the case, I’m less in love with the brand that I was 15 years ago.
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On opening the nose was flowery, like violet/lavender. First sips of strong tannins and acids. Kept bottle open for 30 mins, then recorked for half an hour. On reopening the tannins quickly softened, while the acids took another half an hour to diminish. Then the wine was sublime. Complex, integrated dark fruits with soft earth. A beautiful wine. Should last for another decade plus without issue. The wine looks purple colored. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like violet. It tastes like forest floor, blackberry and black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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Really a top notch wine but to be honest I expected a bit more. All experts indicated this has years more in the bottle but I thought it has started its downward cycle already. Nose is very light with a deep garnet color and very little sediment for something sitting in my cellar for many years. Definitely needed a couple of hours of decanting as it got much better as the evening wore on. Tremendous burst of Spice and explosion of cherry. Very soft round finish not what I expected at the end. Very good wine but I felt past its peak.
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This is a beautiful wine. Decanted for over 6 hours. I was a bit nervous about this, but this turned out to be the right decision as the wine opened up beautifully. This wine still has many years to go, so no rush to drink, but if you do, you won’t be disappointed.
Very smooth wine, tannins have mellowed nicely. Great red fruit flavor. Well balanced, old school Napa Cab, not over done like some of today’s wines. What a burst of flavor with a long finish. Wine smells amazing and inviting. Would highly recommend this wine or similar vintages. The Chicago Wine Company has some for sale at $110, about half that of Binny’s.
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Decanted and served and what a pretty surprise here. The wine even at 16years young drinks so well and is devout of any overdone feature. Very much reminded us of the old school Napa Cabs of the 90s. Granted has the extra umph of the Napa sunshine isn’t he fruit but it’s all in check and in harmony and delivers very well where a bit of power is required. This has a long way to go for sure but drinks very well now. Just starting to show some secondary feel. 93 and with potential
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Popped, decanted and served. Not much sediment, with a dark garnet color and no browning. Still youthful, but needed some time and work in the glass. Packed full of dark complex fruit and perfectly balanced. No hurry, but sure to please at present.
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Cork busted while extracting but straining into a decanter did the job. Medium ruby. Very perfumed nose. Gave it one hour in the decanter. Tannins are mostly resolved. Very elegant with a long finish. Prime time IMHO.
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Has come together quite a bit since 2016. The nose is reticent but the mouth is great and the length is quite good. Somewhere between primary and not, but clearly stuffed for the future.
Should not be in any hurry to drink this one. Still room to go.
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Wonderful Magnum. Elegant and super smooth on the tongue. While not much fragrance for the nose, still a nice berry note. Went well with grilled filet.
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Starting to age gracefully: garnet hues are starting to get prominent. Nose is still powerful and pleasant: stewed black fruity, toast, vanilla,licorice, tomato leaf. Very pleasant on the palate with good structure, pleasant tannins and good flavors that mirror the aromas. I think it is peaking now.
a terrific bottle of wine in a special spot in the middle of it's drinking window remarkable fruit presence with an earthy backbone and an integrated elegance dancing between the notes glad to have shared this prior to being quarantined [but sad there wasn't more for me] worth seeking out if stored properly
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Ex-domaine. Like a ripe Pauillac with pretty aromas of black fruit, violet, soil, and a hint of graphite. Elegant with an effortless structure and softening tannins. Excellent concentration of dark fruited flavors without much sense of weight. The 2004 Montelena Estate is very good and should drink well for the long haul.
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Decanted. Clear inky garnet-black color. Glorious bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, anise, forest floor, espresso, unsweetened chocolate, grilled sage, thyme, bay leaf. Similar on the palate, full body, seamless, beautiful balance. Very young with great future ahead. Improved with air. My #1 and group's FIRST PLACE among red wines.
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PNP at Sabicca dinner. NC friends group. Drank over several hours and at the end of the dinner this wine won red of the night in an informal voting. Classic Napa Cab. Really nice nose, cassis, cherry and a hint of green. Well concentrated and has several years of life left but I don't think it will get any better. Depends on the style you like.
Complex, generous nose with notes of cassis, tobacco, smoke, graphite, eucalyptus. On the palate still a little tight with good grip and structure, lovely concentration and balance, very good acidity. Very elegant and lingering. 92-94
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P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, tangy/SWT finish to the dusty tannins. Approachable now with food, this DESERVES/needs through '21, poss '22, then making its 25th? Impressive potential! 14.1% ABV; My EXC+. 95 pts ea WA & Vinous (Tanzer), 91 RJonWine, 86 WS, & 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson.
Decanted and allowed it to rest for three hours, then followed over 90 minutes. While very soft and uncertain right out of the bottle, this did add some weight with time. Classic old World Bordeau, There’s lots of leather, black tea, earth and must.
I wouldn’t let these rest too much longer friends.
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at Reyes: 92+. 7 times double-decanted plus 20 min's wide decant plus open bottle and 2 hours later was ready for business - in full bloom. dark berries, tobacco, graphite, cedar, medium acid, nice cab & gail liked it. will be better with time - now, this bottle needed lots of air
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Drank over 2 days after opening for a hour. Wonderful deep color. Nose of vanilla, spice, and dark fruit. Soft feel with round tannins. Drinking great!
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Somewhat alcoholic menthol nose but no trace of such in the smooth round mature palate. Pencil shavings and leather over dark fruit with a wonderful prolonged finish. Fine soft tannins but lively on the finish. Strip steak dinner worked well. Very different impression from my May 2018 note.
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Color:Dark ruby on the sides with purple center. Nose: Black fruits,oak,vanilla,red and black currants along with tanned leather. Palate: Black licorice & sassafras, oak, dried spices, very dry and tannic, cured tobacco leaf, black currant. Finish: A little residual alcohol, tannin's and acidity give indication this will have a very long life from 2020-2032. Slight hint of vanilla on the back side. I just thought the mid palate was a bit hollow in spite of the 3+ hours in my decanter. Still rock solid tannin's, great acids and built like a brick house. Try again in 2026-2032. 88 Points because I expected more like the 1997's I have had.
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Fourteen years old and still going strong. Decanted for over an hour. This wine is bright and vibrant with a subtle nose of brambles, cardamom, vanilla and berry jam. Silky smooth on the palate with just a hint of heat. Medium to full body with great structure. The finish is long yet soft. A real beauty.
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P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucke which somewhat resolves by the LONG, *ult* pleasant finish. NEEDS 3 yrs or so more (guessing), then drinking for an addt'l 5-10 yrs more? 95 pts ea WA & Vinous (Tanzer), 91 RJonWine, 86 WS, & 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson.
While there was init consensus that this was in a backwards phase, of those that were fortuitous enough to have keep some in their tasting glass, I overheard more than a few stating that they WERE surprised @ HOW it was starting to come around.
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Clear deep purple color. Clean nose of medium plus intensity with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plums, vanilla, wet stone, leather. Wine is developing. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium flavor intensity of black cherry, mint, leather, mushrooms, The finish is medium. Wine is good, drink now or can be aged further. Just ok Body and length, lacks intensity and complexity.
WOW. I think this one has improved from the last 1-2 years that I've tried this wine. Has integrated nicely. Served alongside a 2012 Spoto Wines Cab Sauv Private Reserve, this wine is definitely showing a nice balanced profile of aged fruit on the front, a little pepper on the finish, but JUST now starting to show some black berry and spice and dancing all over the place. Really impressed with this wine. If Shay was here, he would be able to focus down on exactly what was here. But, needless to say this wine continues to evolve and is good to go for another 10 years.
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California BYOB #7: modern style, early maturity notes, blue/red fruit, chocolate, licorice, hints of tar, new oak, leafs, herbs. Slim and elegant body, nice acidity, lack a bit in complexity. 0 BV.
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I decanted for 3 hours before beginning to drink, but consumed over an additional two hours.
Fragrent fresh nose of eucalyptus and berry The flavor is blackberry and cassis The body is medium light. This bottle has better balance, structure and integrity than my prior bottle. It has the sweetness and flavor of a Napa cab without the over extracted jammyness of some of its higher priced peers. Time in the cellar has mellowed the tannins acidity and heat leaving a pleasant bottle of wine.
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I decanted for two hours. The nose is nice, fruity floral and herbal. Upon tasting, the fruit is a mixture of berries, dark cherry with a hint of oregano. A good balance, mild acidity, slight but evident tannins but a little thin on the finish. I have two bottles left, will give this some more time to develop, it’s still drinking slightly young, I hope it grows up!
Lacking fruit. Dark purple in color. Still same tannin to resolve, but not much. Fruity and floral nose. Palate ok with a tad of blackberry, some earth and cedar. I expected better, but still decent.
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With Thirteen years bittle age, this shows no signs of slowin down. Beautiful deep red color, Greg acidity and lovey tannins. Deep dark berry and chocolate in the palate. Outstanding.
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PNP. I only had a brief taste, but this was ripe, balanced, and drinking well. Some tannin still showing on the finish that was not an issue but might soften a touch with some more time and improve this a bit. A-
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Decanted for 3 hours, and it needs it or more. Few Montelenas are PnP wines. Still very dark with no browning or discoloration. Quite aromatic with dark fruits, leather, some tobacco and a hint of herbal. Flavors were similar with blackberry, cassis, leather, earth, black pepper, and a touch of bell pepper. Starting to develop more complexity than earlier bottles. The tannins have really started to soften. Long finish with great balance. Just really starting to hit its stride. Based on other Montelenas, can easily go another 20-30 years. Will probably improve at least for another 10-15 years.
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Decanted for 90 minutes. Cassis, licorice black fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Full bodied with medium tannins. Medium finish. Drinking very nicely currently.
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Drank blind against five other cabs rated 91-97 by RMP. This was the group's as well as my clear favorite. Balanced, long and Montelena has never Parkerized their wines. Plus, they age forever as a bonus.
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A bit of discolouration towards the rim. Generous fruit on the nose, notes of graphite, smoke. On the palate quite firm and grippy, lots of ripe fruit. Spicy, very good length. Drink or keep. 91-93
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Finally opened my second bottle. At first sip, the wine was very light and not much nose or taste.
But now this beauty is starting to open up. Medium to Dark red, ruby color. Soft tannins. Aromas of tar and espresso. Not a powerhouse. This is still young but nicely balanced and a very long, finish. Stunning.
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Stop! Don't drink this for another 5 years...! Thick and complex, with typical Montelena bell pepper background. All Montelena benefits with age and this will lose it's thickness and gain complexity with time and more time.
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Great length, good nose, but the mouth and tastes don't hold up yet. Yet. Score for tonight only... not for future potential, which would be quite a bit higher.
Try next in 2019...?
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Still drinking quite young. Opens up beautifully with floral and dark berry notes on the nose and layered palate upon a wonderful tannic structure and long finish.
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Tasted at the winery, decanted at 8:30am and drunk around 3pm...Dark opaque garnet with no sign of age. The nose is floral, deep, rich and effusive with black fruit, leather and chocolate. Classic Montelena! Plenty of tannic structure for long life but not abrasive. On the palate the flavors are long lasting and rich with licorice, blackberry, chocolate, leather, a little pine needles in complex layers. A very good long life ahead. Long finish. Needs the breathing to fully evolve! Gorgeous for many years to come.
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Decanted for 90 minutes. Cassis, licorice black fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Full bodied with medium tannins. Medium finish. Drinking very nicely currently.
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I've been all over with this wine, but at the end of the day I don't think this is aging very well. Rather short finish, not all that interesting. Not bad, but not up to par for a CM
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From a magnum. Popped and poured. We had a crowd but everyone took notice when this wine was tasted. Very elegant and a very long finish. Delicious to drink now.
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Tasted blind. Dark, hardly any evolution in terms of colour. Compared to 1996 Las Cases slightly more confected, sweeter on the nose, layers of fruit, spices, herbs. On the palate silky and round - the tannins are very polished and ripe. Very well balanced. Great mouthfeel, soft and generous. Great length. Drink or hold. 92-94
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This one was drank from 375 ml bottle. Montelena Estate cabs just never disappoint. Very approachable but still a baby that needs another 5. Bright dark red fruit with touch of mint. Balanced and elegant palate; decent length. Will get better yet.
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Dark color with light bricking on the edges. No green but sense the acidity noted by others. Really begins to improve w 45mins of oxidation (not decanted) and adds a bit of weight as the wine begins to rebalance itself. In a good place in its drinking window, but no rush. See this continuing to evolve with modest improvement over the coming 5 years.
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Dark garnet color. Dark berry and spice aromas. Bordeaux style with restrained fruit and a bit too much acid. Not much complexity with a medium finish.
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Very enjoyable cab. Not a blockbuster like my last bottle but very good none the less. The acid on bottle number two seemed a bit too prevalent, overwhelming the the other complex flavors evident in the last bottle. Hoping my remaining 4 will be like the first bottle.
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It's always sad when we wait too long on a bottle. The wine is starting to tire. Still well balanced, but fruit is getting dried out, one can get a sense of what the wine should have been. Please note that this was a 375, I wouldn't be surprised if the 750 was rockin
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Deep Ruby in the glass. Very fragrant upon opening with aromas of black cherry, licorice and spring flowers. On the palate this is rich and complex with layers of black currant, blackberries, camphor and dried mushrooms. Finishes dry but flavors linger for 30 seconds. Tannins have a firm grip giving this a long life line. Can easily go another 25+.
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Popped and aired for 2 hours. Had along with the '03 which out shinned the '04. Quite frankly, this vintage needs more time. A bit too hot and alcohol heavy. I expected way more out of this wine but should improve with 3-5 more years.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): I did not get much out of this and thought it may have been slightly off. Dark fruit on the nose and palate, but that was about it. No rating/guess.
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Deep Ruby in the glass with fragrant aromas of dark plum, violet and blackberries. On the palate this is rich and layered with flavors of black and blue fruits with licorice and resin adding complexity. Finishes long and earthy. Can go for decades.
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This is the first of a six pack and let me tell you this wine is singing tonight. Opened about an hour before drinking. When I do this I always pour a small taste to make sure the bottle is not flawed. WOW, I have to admit pouring a bit more than my normal taste. The wine is big and bold and great right from the git-go; but certainly better after waiting the hour. The color is crystal clear garnet. The nose has big graphite, vanilla, cherry, and a little olive. The palate is nicely balanced. A substantial backbone of sweet tannin is followed by creme de cassis, cola, a medley of dark fruits, pepper spice, and a touch of eucalyptus. The wine has a long lingering finish. Although it gives a lot of pleasure now additional cellar time will certainly show additional development. I would say if you have a stash it is time to crack one, if you only have a few I would wait a few more years. This may be my best Montelena to date.
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This was pretty good out of the bottle, and very good with an hour of air. Ripe yet balanced, with nice ripe tannins. This was also good on day 2. In a very nice spot right now. A-
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This is a mind blowing cab, as complex as any varietal can get reaching its peak now with superb freshness! Intoxicating (in a good way) recently cut grass, citric feel, menthol, sage, plums, cherries, chocolate milk, lavender and huge smoked tones set one of the most intriguing nose profile, followed by a powerful, creamy, full bodied palate, with coccoa and cherry sweetness mixed with deep vegetal feel, tobacco and mint, lasting for very long. One of a kind!!! 96
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Montelena Estate cabs just keeps impressing me more and more. This one was drank from 375 ml bottle. As enjoyable and approachable as it was it is still a baby that needs another 5 to 10 years even in this format. Balanced and elegant now and will get better.
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Coravin'd a generous pour from a 375 and let it breathe for 2 hours. Nose shows tight wood, vanilla, and alcohol. Mouthfeel is nicely balanced with a silky coating; black fruit, brambles, cedar - the fruit component is rich and youthful, thought there's one off greenish note that hits front palate. I'd imagine this has several years remaining before peaking and will try a full bottle later this year w ample decant time.
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From Montelena Estate Cab vertical tasting. Relatively closed nose with earth and berry notes. Alcohol present. Tannic and tight. Nice fruit mid palate. Still young.
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Spring Warm Up Tasting (The Lyon's Tree House): Four hour decant. Just starting to evolve after 10+ years! A big black New World fruit profile after the CdP. There are hints of stone, cocoa, and mint lingering with the fruit on the firm finish. Improved for hours to the last drop.
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Cabs at Cooking School (Maybach, Ghost Horse +++) (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): This was decanted for sediment about an hour before lunch. It was still quite tight. I poured some in a glass and swirled for 20 minutes or so to let it get some air. It did open nicely although, I would hold these for now. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, licorice and spice. Full bodied with medium tannins. Austere at first it keeps putting on weight. Shows a nice complexity with some coaxing. Cassis and spice on the palate. Nice finish.
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Decanted 2 hours. This will probably get a little better with time, but right now is a very nice balance of fruit and structure and as usual, a combo of old and new world elements to it. I enjoyed it quite a bit with food. A-
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This is a potential rockstar. We drank it after decanting 2 hours (from magnum). It was excellent. A fully bodied, well balanced cab with a pretty palate of blackberry, smoke, cassis and some old-world nuances. Big, sweet tannins that will integrate more with time. I give it a 93 now, but it have 95+ potential. I am so glad I loaded up on this vintage.
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Double decanted for thee hours, tasted blind initially. Very fruit forward nose of almost brambly fruit, almost dark grape, Medium acid, the mid-palate is pure driven red cherry, medium plus body, medium minus acidity, grape juicy on the palate, it's primal yet balanced. This will improve with a bit more age.
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Nose couldn't be more different than the 2005. Lighter smoke. Beautiful elegant body. Drinking great right now. A little green pepper, dark stone fruit, and lead. A very long finish. Tasted at the winery.
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This was really good, drinking well now and reminiscent of classic Montelena. Complex flavors, balance and length. Good now and for quite a while. Surprisingly good value.
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Tasted at delfriscos steakhouse NYC. Cabernet heavy but nice dark fruits with light oak background. Accompanied steak beautifully. Long finish with minerality and gentle spice.
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This is an excellent blend of new world fruit with old world complexity. Dark fruits that are deep but not sweet or flabby. Excellent backbone to a warm year cab. Notes of tobacco, chocolate and cedar in a layered cab. Long finish
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I am bumping this up from my last review in 2009 where I gave this a 93.
This is perfect right now. The dark fruits are still there and the secondary elements of spice, chocolate and cigar box are at equal levels. The elements of this wine are in perfect balance and drinking this is a an amazing experience.
The nose, mouth feel and palate are all equal at this point in time. Powerful nose with soft undertones. On the palate the flavors are layered and you will need to take your time enjoying each element.
I am not sure this can get better but if it does.... you will hear about it here first!
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RRV and Napa Visit; 7/7/2014-8/30/2014 (Napa and Sonoma): Damn, that’s some suave fruit in the aromas. Substantially less weight than the 2006, starting to show some tertiary flavors. Water weight-y palate. Drinks like a dream. Still Med tannin and exhibiting some forest floor elements. But I’m still preferring the 2006 Estate Cab to this.
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Great with the steak, but less complex than other wines at this price point. That said the quality is consistent year after year and buying futures keeps the cost more in line with the flavor profile.
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Drank blind with six other 2004s. The most feminine of the bunch, but bordering on being too light. A silky, if somewhat short finish out of the gate, but got better with air. Very nice wine, just maybe not up to Montelenas of years past.
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My first 04, and if this bottle is any indication, I will hold my others for at least five more years. Tight, restrained, and a bit tannic, this showed glimpses of what a Montelena can be, but never quite came into focus. A good wine right now, but hopefully better in a few years.
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WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): [Double decanted for 2 hours.] Wonderful complex nose. Big ripe tannic. Very young. Could have used a lot more air. A great future in 8-15 years. 93-96 points. Open 48 hours: Stunning, great balance, classic Napa Cab.
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Excellent Montelena. First 04 we opened and drinking beautifully with a prime rib dinner. All elements needs: structure, length, complexity, more complexity- we have loved montelena since the 1984 and this one does not disappoint, and it borders on being reasonably priced too. You could spend 5 times this and get no better. And this beaut has a decade to go or more.
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Loved upon opening. Went through several changes quickly within 1st hour, then faded rather quickly. Something unpleasant throughout though. Possibly bad bottle. After 3 hours of being open very pedestrian.
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Drank on vacation, night after 1997 Insignia. Half a notch below, but still classy stuff. Good balance and flavor with 5-10 years ahead. Drink anytime.
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I keep opening these 375s of the 2004, and they keep rewarding me. Last night's bottle was stuffed with black cherry and blackberry fruit, and supported by significant tannin that made its presence felt, but did not overwhelm the wine. There's still a bit of an oak signature, but it's a secondary player behind the ripe fruit. This was a delicious match with my burger.
Absolutely delicious. Actually tasted better before it was decanted. Slight tannins, great nose, complicated and special. A truly signature wine. I wish I could have something as wonderful as this every night. Maybe I will.
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At Zest in DC with Tara, Oliver and Sanders. Poured into glasses using a vinturi - dark fruits on the nose, the palate opens with spices, smoke, currents, cherries and some cigar box, the finish is long. This wine has years ahead of it.
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The Semicentennial Birthday "Season"; 9/16/2012-9/18/2012 (San Francisco and the Napa Valley): This wine still appears quite youthful, with an opaque ruby robe. The nose is stunning, with aromas of scorched earth, crushed rock and anise, superimposed on a strong blackcurrant "backbone." The palate is excellently structured, with medium acidity, big ripe tannins, well-integrated alcohol and ripe black fruit (and mineral) flavors. The middle palate is solid and the finish is very long and seamless. This is classic Napa Cabernet, with excellent ripe fruit and structure which will take it a long way. It will certainly improve with time in the bottle. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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Purchased this after it was the best from a vertical tasting at the winery. On the nose, immediately with some dark fruit but then transformed with some herb and bramble with a touch of anise. Palate with moderate in weight and tannins integrated but did not get tremendous complexity. Finish moderate. I don't anticipate this greatly improving with more age. These wines are meant to age but I'm not sure they are worth the cost with so many other great Cali wines out there that are more exciting.
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Binny's welcomes Bo Barrett (Binny's, Linclon Park): Deep garnet color. Roasted thyme, red currants, plum, pine sap and black fruit notes. Full-bodied, with red currant, licorice and cherry flavors. Strong across the palate, with black fruit on the finish.
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Classic cali cab nose of black cherry, vannila, dill, toast, olive and wet soil. Red fruit driven in the mouth with a focused attack of cherry and currant. Great spine of acidity. Long savory anis and berry finish and fine, ultra polished tannins. Still a baby but completely drinkable now.
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Outstanding. WOW-O-WOW. In a way I'm really very disgusted with myself for consuming this one, but this wine was amazing. The cork pulled easily - less than 1mm bleed on the cork with a medium red stain. Nose out of the bottle was pepper, licorice, cherry, but all very subtle. This wine poured into a decanter a DEEP red with some mild violet tones. After 20 minutes, a smell from the decanter revealed practically ZERO nose. 1.5 hours later, the wine started to reveal hints of spice, ripe dark fruits - blackberry, possibly some blueberry, mulberry? Fig? There was a lot going on, but again all very subtle. Wine was poured into a glass and swirled vigorously. Lots of dark fruit nose started to come out. Wine first tasted was still very closed, but quickly opened. Paired VERY well with a meatloaf. On the palate is a nice healthy robust, chewy dark fruit cab with black pepper spice that opened up to full throttle with the meat. Licorice, black cherry, raspberry, fig, even a little plum, was all there. There was a specific note in the wine that almost reminded me of a cooking spice like allspice or oregano? The wine progressed to a very velvety consistency and had excellent structure, balance, and actually some exceptional complexity with oak barrel finish that had you wanting more. Oak barrel mellowed out tremendously with food, allowing more spice and dark fruit to linger - very reminiscent of a SuperTuscan bomb. 30-40 second finish. WOW. Highest ratings seem to come from those who actually gave this wine the ample time to open, so please let this one sit for a while.
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Not given much air as this was opened after we realised that a 2001 Monty we had opened was mildly corked. Soft, maybe closed down, definately shows the Monty european style of winemaking. Will retry again in a year+
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Needs more time in bottle. Decanted for a few hours, great nose, bright cherry mid palate, significant depth and tannins, looking forward to future bottles
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Ordered off a restaurant wine list in Whistler BC for much less then you would think compared to some of the other crazy markups they had. This wine showed very well with great texture and really soft tannins. The fruit was quite pure and the oak was integrated nicely. Finishes long and smooth. Great match for the steak.
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Closed down at the moment. Muted nose. Alcohol and some faint dark purple and black berries. Hints of licorice, coffee and some black olive savory essence as well. Touch of green bell pepper. Let this rest for at least 3 years. Promising but hard to tell at this dumb stage.
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Takes about 2 hours to open up and reveal firm cassis flavor with a moderate oak backbone. Generally well balanced - not too fruit forward and not overly oaked but did not show quite the complexity I would have expected.
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Definitely needs to breathe. First tastings were overpowering with dense flavor and saltiness. Time is the friend of this wine, revealing hints of apple and chocolate. Brings to mind homemade brownies and mint. Fills the palate, and long aftertaste leaves ample time to contemplate complexities..... Finished last few ounces my spouse didn't finish about 2 hours later and got to enjoy the full richness of the grapes. We always look for words to describe a wine and bottom line, it's the grapes that we're tasting. These are lovely and aged well.
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Solid Montelana Estate. Somewhat tight for the vintage but opened nicely with aeration showing highly perfumed nose and rich palate. Hold 3-5 years (at least) or decant several hours. Long life ahead for this one.
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2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No.8 - US Theme (Sage @ Mohamed Sultan Rd): Alcohol : 14.1% The most elegant wine with finesse, beautiful texture and structure for tonight. Super silky fine tannins that caressing the palate, good delineation with lots of blackcurrant fruits, creme de cassis and spices with long, mouth filling finish. Though is tannic, but very fine and the rich concentration to buffer sheer balance is awesome to buffer the structure and tannin which made the wine approachable. Very good indeed and this need at least 10yrs to really start showing itself. Buy - Maybe
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It is really hard to think about my remaining half-bottles and not want to drink them up. I know Montelena is an ager, but this wine is so delicious now that I really cannot resist. It's very fruity, but that fruit is well mannered and balanced. There's tannin, but the wine is plush enough to keep the tannins from drying at all. Overall it's just a joy to drink even if it has a lot of upside potential.
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Starts with a beautiful color, quite dark purple. Such a complex nose, very sensational, giving aromas of pomegranate and dark cherries, but also vanilla and maybe hints of clove. Quite a long and wide passage through the palate, showing amazing fruit, great complexity, but most of all, an incredible structure and backbone, all covered by quality fruit, and accentuated by a fair amount of oak. Very, very long finish. Quite an experience.
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This is still a baby. Did not decant first - opened for about 20 minutes and drank over ~45 minutes with grilled flank steak and baked potatoes. Aromas were faint, but tastes are robust (fruit and tannins nicely balanced, but both intense), and the finish is 20+ seconds. Saw another reviewer note "chewy" and I totally agree with that. Suggest another 2-3 years minimum before opening the rest of the lot.
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Tasted over 2 days vs. a 2004 Dominus. This was better early, showing fruit even if some tannin on the finish. A few hours later the Dominus had really started to show better, with a more rich mid-palate. Next day this was back to the favorite, still showing great fruit while the Dominus seemed a bit shut down. Overall a very nice wine that needs some time but shows good fruit now. Only complaint is it is a bit short in the mid-palate. A-
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Decanted for 4 hours and I am glad we did. Most California Cabs can't take being decanted that long but this one needs it. The nose is butter and chocolate. The finish is very nice and very rich. It was paired with paella and did nicely. The wine is still young, but showing well now. Just make sure to decant it! This is a big boy.
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This wine rocked; we were totally blown away at how full and balanced this wine was. Full of fruity flavors, ripe cherries with very big broad shoulders.
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Montelena and Duckhorns: Wow! Beautiful perfumed nose of garrigue herbs and spices with more dried herbs all sprinkled atop layered and intense black fruits. Dark and brooding but also bursting with a luxury of fruit flavours. Very enjoyable.
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Wow. Dark red garnet colored. It has gobs of dark fruit, nice balance, intense flavor, and a long finish. I'm probably too much of a novice to see where it's going, but it seemed to be a straightforward wine, not complex. At $120 it probably ought to be cellared to give it an opportunity to evolve and express the complexity it should have.
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I am bumping this up a point to 93 – The nose is fantastic, it gives a perfect preview of what is in the glass. Scents of dark fruit, mocha, oak and a spicy cigar. This is a bold wine that stands a NY on its end. The texture is soft to velvet and the spice on the finish is a treat with every taste. I really like the balance of tannin and acidity and think this wine will garner a higher rating in the next year or two.
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Taken from a 37ml bottle. decanted for 1 hour. Beautiful dark opaque colour.
Nose: Blockbuster nose, Beautiful and complex, shades of blueberries, chocolate, some oak, cigar box etc etc.... Very impressed. The pedigree is very noticeable.
Taste: Big, bold wine with good acidity, subtle fruit and good sturdy tannins. Nice touches of licorice, chocolate, mocha with shades of dark fruit and oak. This wine is creamy, chewy, full bodied and very concentrated. A puckerer! The finish is excellent and goes on forever. This great cab is very well balanced but I gather that the wine is still a bit young and should held for at least 5 years. The tannins are a bit overpowering and the fruit needs to claim some territory. If it matches the great nose, this wine could score 95 at least. Great stuff!
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2003 and 2004 Monty Estate, both from 375s; opened and allowed to sit for 2 hours, then decanted and consumed over 2.5 hours.
2003 - This was somewhat vegetal early on , with the same sweet tanins noted in my last tasting from 2 1/2 years ago. The sweetness began to fade immediately once decanted and improved significantly from there. Red fruit aromas with violets and lavendar. Dry flavor but still somewhat sweet, with red fruits, plums and chocolate. An unusual Calibab though from a "softer" year. 90-
2004 - This also displayed a slight sweetness early on but was far more lip-puckering tannic. More black or dark fruit as oppose to the red fruits of the '03 vintage. The tannins carried on throughout the evening, with a wine with more body, depth and weight than the '03. I found this bottle a bit more enjoyable and more likely to exhibit staying power. 92?
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The '04 combines richness with elegance and finesse, the ripe currant, cherry and blackberry flavors offset by a pleasant earthiness and tobacco and finishing with firm, fine-grained tannins. Needs time to reach it peak. (Best from 2011-2022) - JD93
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Just a brief impression. The wine smells great. On the palate the attack and middle are near perfect. There is a weird flavor on the immediate finish. Medium acid and tannin. Not as hard as some Montelenas. At this stage the wine is not overly complex. The rest of my bottles will sleep. Showing the signs of a classic Montelena although maybe not the greatest. 91-92 pts
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One of our favorites no doubt. This is a well balanced wine that starts off chewy with black fruits and hints of earthy spice. It opens very nicely offering more flavors then I can identify, but I know they are there! Decant 20 minutes before enjoying a grilled steak and it will be the highlight of the day!
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Drank side by side witht he 05, and they were very similar int heir profile. This one exuded a little more chocolate to me, with some sweet spice and lots of black fruit. The tannins were still nice in this, but it didnt feel like it had quite the same structure that the 05 did. Still a very good wine.
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Again shows off the franc in the nose right away to me. And that isn't a bad thing. Easier intial palate (moca, bitter sweet chocolate from the drought year says the estate), softer early palate. But the back end is still tight and youthful. Fine to drink now but waiting five years isn't going to hurt it. Yes, the bitter coco thing comes across on the palate in a rather delightful, distinctive way. Lingering finish. This is well made wine.
The 2005 will be a wildly different vintage than this. It was a very slow, delibrate growing seasons. The fruit was picked over 45 days. They feel it is a classic vintage (the 2005) and will turn out to be one of thier best. It will be a leaner style for them.
After tasting the estate Cabernet, Zinfandel and Chardonnay my feeling is that at this point in time the Estate Cabernet is probably thier strongest wine, followed by the zinfnadel. My feeling is that this is because they are "the estate". The chardonnay, while not being bad at all, is the weakest of the set. But it is not estate and I am not sure that you can substitue non-estate fruit and still get the same character. The basic Napa cab I have never had any time for because I don't think it is worth its $40 price tag.
The estate could be labeled organic but they are choosing not to persue the qualification. They have been persuing this policy since 1972.
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Drank while watching "Bottle Shock". Light nose, and tannins were a little astringent. Otherwise a quality wine. Aroma's main component was anise, with a little black cherry and sweet oak. Palate had the unusual combo of chocolate, vanilla, and a little strawberry in the finish. Neopolitan ice cream, anyone? Wine stayed tight throughout (decanted for 2 hours, drank over 2 hours). Should definitely improve over the next 5-10 years.
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Blind California Cabernet Tasting: Very nice effort. Finish in my top 3 of the blind Cali Cab tasting. Identified as the Montelena, as the profile was quite unique. Nice nose, although maybe a bit generic. Cherry, caramel and milk chocolate with a richness to it. The wine filled the mouth well with some nice spice, almost like Mexican hot chocolate. Some tannins at the back end with a nice finish. This wine clearly needs some time to improve and could go as high as 96-97. It was a consensus "top half" wine and will definitely improve with 3-5 years, at least.
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Very good, concentrated dark fruit flavors, with a hint of cocoa and tobacco with lots of tannins after about half an hour of decanting. Stayed this way for about two hours. Then seemed to close down and turn a little sour, and since I was out of time, had to finish the last of it (had been sharing with family). I think this will continue to improve, will wait a couple of years before trying again.
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taste: full bodied feel with rich red fruits, cassis, tobacco, cedar, and dark chocolate tones
overall: Wonderful full bodied feel with big chewy tannins. A massive montelena with great depth and succulent layers. More open then I expected for such a young montelena, but this will be a stunner when it comes around. It brings about a rich red fruit attack and sweet cassis finish that doesn't want to stop.
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Visiting Napa & All Around; 8/2/2008-8/18/2008 (California - USA): Visiting Napa Valley, Chateau Montelena Tasting Room. Despite it is younger than 2.001, this bottle seems to be more ready to go right now. Floral, full of berries aromas and clean tannins. I did not pick this but elder.
Pese a ser más joven que la del 2.001, esta botella parecía más preparada para ser consumida ahora mismo. Floral, llena de aromas a frutos del bosque y con unos taninos limpios. No obstante, compré la antigua.
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From a .375; decanted and allowed to sit for 2 hours prior to drinking. This is an outstanding young Monty; smooth, well-balanced and elegant, this is far more a bordeaux-like wine than an 98% calicab. After 4 hours in the decanter the wine developed an off sour-like aftertaste, but earlier on this was just excellent.
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Superchewy, with copious blue and black fruit. Somewhat impenetrable at this point; I would cellar this for at least 3-5 years before opening again. Montelena rep says this will last 20+ years, and I believe it.
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A Visit to Chateau Montelena: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet color. Aromas of red currants, spice, cassis dark fruit, licorice and oak. Flavors of black fruit, currant, licorice and black cherries glide across the palate. Seamless, with a finish lasting for over a minute. $125. 94-95 pts.
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The nose is a little green and a little closed. But it had a little mint and a little funky barnyard odor which I enjoy. Super silky and smooth tannins that are really well integrated. Great acidity and perfect balance. Less fruit forward than some others in the tasting. A little mroe Old World. Ranked it #6.
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3/7/2024 - salil wrote: 88 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Liked but didn't love this in the blind tasting, though a leftover glass showed better much later in the night with more air. Compared to the other wines on the table, the fruit feels more restrained and there's more of an earthy/savoury character here. But the palate also feels a bit lean, and the tannins stick out on the finish.
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3/7/2024 - kenv Likes this wine: 91 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): [Double-decanted around 2pm.] Smoky black fruit nose. Juicy, tart. Has a sour quality not typical of Cali Cab.
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2/18/2024 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 95 Points
All you could want in an aged Napa cab. Delicate, but not weak. Full of flavor, but not like an older French wine. Long finish, good color, and something you could linger with. Excellent.
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4/27/2023 - ciesel wrote: 88 Points
OK, herbal and earthy. After decanting drank over the next two hours. Little bitter at first and fruit for lack of a better phrase was "weird". However, toward end I sensed a lot of tannin left, and fruit went more toward berry and the wine came together. Hanging on to last bottle for a couple of more years.
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3/26/2023 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 94 Points
My WotN. Kept this bottle closer to me at the table. Needed 30 min of air but was ready to roll after that. Almost fully Integrated tannins, medium plus body and still plenty of fruit. Cork split at opening. This made me regret not having a ton of this in my cellar. A fabulous napa cab.
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3/18/2023 - levinml wrote: 94 Points
Maybe wine does get better with age. This seemed like what you want with a 20 year old fine wine. Balanced but still fruity, deep and complex. May be plateauing now. Enjoy
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1/28/2023 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
Very nice mature cab. Muted fruit, lots of graphite and cigar ash. Drink or hold.
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10/31/2022 - PB wino Likes this wine: 96 Points
From Magnum, dark purple, still has beautiful dark fruit. Fine grained tannins in perfect balance. Finish lingers a full minute. Could have waited, but was excellent now.
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10/9/2022 - levinml wrote: 92 Points
I don’t know. I like the flavors at first but tannins everywhere continue to overwhelm me. More decanting and waiting I guess. Or maybe it’s just me getting old.
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9/14/2022 - Dako wrote: 94 Points
As gorgeous a big Cali cab as I've had in recent memory. Seductive deep blue and red fruits without being jammy and very fine tannins with complete integration of oak.
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8/5/2022 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
2 years since we had this last ( Papies 93) and this youthful , purplish tinted wine needs a decent decant at this stage. Frankly we are not sure if wit time this gets better as the juicy punchy side to it has a charm that works at this stage albeit we would have loved to have another bottle to try it down the line. A very pretty wine and a worthy 92-93 nonetheless.
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7/27/2022 - JJN Likes this wine: 92 Points
Less robust and deep than I expected. I'm not expecting further benefit from additional aging, so I'd drink soon
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7/17/2022 - Deryl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully now. Will open the others soon.
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6/5/2022 - ayalao3 wrote: 91 Points
Downhill. Overripe, low acidity
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5/25/2022 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 91 Points
From 375 purchased upon release. Amazingly tight cork shows virtually no seepage. Initial notes follow an hour decant. Forest floor, earth, mushrooms and faint red berries on the nose.
Still plenty of structure here, more pronounced in std stems and nuanced in Somm stems. Displays the softer, European house style, but after 2+ hrs I have to question its longevity in this format. If inventory is right I’ve got 2 more of these, which I’ll drink this year
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5/7/2022 - Windacre in the Slope Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intense eucalyptus nose. Extremely rich and tannic still, with an inky full palate. A little sweeter than my taste, but very in line with a good cali cab. Showing well now but I wouldn’t think at peak.
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4/27/2022 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Cork pulled a couple hours in advance and allowed to slow-ox. The color is deep garnet with a near opaque core and perhaps some slight browning towards the rim but color looks great. There’s significant sediment now. Powerful aromas of black currants, dark cherries, tobacco, green pepper, and baking spices. On the palate, the structure is still pretty sturdy even though the tannins have integrated well. The fruit is ripe and quite delicious and taking on some secondary notes of leather, mushrooms and decomposed earth. The acid giving the wine the lift and energy necessary at 18 years old. A lovely wine that, while at peak, has quite a bit of good life left in it. Drink before 2029.
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1/16/2022 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed over the course of a few hours. Deep purple in color with medium plus intensity. Both red and black fruits here. Secondary notes of oak and spice. Some earth and leather notes coming through. Even after a few hours, this still felt like it was holding back a bit. Would give it a much ox time or long decant. There is plenty left here and going strong.
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12/5/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Epic Napa Trip - Day 1: Tasted at Chateau Montelena - My favorite wine of the tasting! Great balance between fruit and secondary flavors...plenty of dark and red fruit on the nose and palate, along with some purple flower notes on the nose. Both nose and palate showed clove and other spices, tree bark and some minerals notes, as well as wisps of toasty oak. Very nice and drinking quite well! 94 and should hold here for a while.
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12/5/2021 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Napa trip day 1: Drank a small glass over 1 hour at the winery. Leather, red fruit, classic aged Montelena. Blackcurrant, bramble, strawberry, hint of cloves, blackberries, flowers and a layered gravelly texture
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12/4/2021 - jbaron wrote:
I found tonight’s bottle to be quite large and somewhat impenetrable.
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11/21/2021 - WinoRick wrote: 94 Points
Ready to go!
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10/16/2021 - mclanew wrote: 90 Points
This wine has perplexed me previously and did again this time. Slow oxed for one hour. The wine is quite bordeaux like in style, not at all decadent or flamboyant as was the fashion for cabs of the time - which is a good thing. But it is also austere and seems to be in a shell with the oak not fully integrated lending a bit of a woody taste to it. It will be interesting to see if this blossoms over time or always stays a bit disjointed.
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9/26/2021 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was one of the most appealing Napa cabs I recall ever having, dark inky purple colored with incredible floral aromas and fruit flavors bursting from the glass, elegant and polished, bordering on exotic, bright expressive, concentrated but superbly integrated, seductive smooth silky ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with notes anise and tobacco leaf, hints of cinnamon and clove spices, mocha and eucalyptus continuing on and on with a lingering finish.
This was so tasty, it would've been pleasurable drinking by all by itself, or paired with about any grilled meat or stew or just bread and any moderate cheese, but it stood up nicely to the tangy BBQ as well.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/09/chateau-montelena-napa-cabernet-long.html
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9/26/2021 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 94 Points
A spectacular treat. As highly rated as 2004 Napa Cabernet was, almost every bottle I drink exceeds expectations. We drank this with friends Linda and Rick M, the night following a gala wine dinner. Linda prepared ribs which did cause us to rethink the order of wines as the Montelena would have been overwhelmed by the delicious, spicy barbecue.
After dinner and almost 2 hours after opening, we finally got to the Montelena. Inky purple still. Full of dark cherry, black raspberry, chocolate and hints of sweet vanilla and eucalyptus on the palate. Maybe a bit of tobacco on the back palate rounded out this elegant, classic, historic cabernet. Tannins had diminished as expected after 17 years but were still evident. This had a long, lingering, 35 second finish. After some discussion we agreed that this was best enjoyed without food to appreciate the nuanced layers. A little chocolate or some cheese would be fine but this wine calls for no distractions. Glad I have another bottle.
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9/15/2021 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needs air. Better on day 2.
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9/10/2021 - aaronfeigin Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is EPIC. Such a great example of 2 things:
1. How great California Cabernet can be;
2. How useless some ratings are.
So beautiful, soft lush tannins, great fruit. Perfect balance. This has been in the cellar a long time, and patience has been greatly rewarded. This wine is so beautiful.
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7/26/2021 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for three hours, needed four. Absolutely stunning. Vibrant, inviting, approachable. Old world style with mainly dark fruits, tobacco, graphite and a hint of cherry. Will hold together for many years to come. Outstanding!
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7/2/2021 - snsharma Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 60-90 minutes, which was absolutely required. Medium++ body with great red fruit coming alive only after decant. Well resolved tannins. Long finish. After about 2-2.5hrs, wine started to head down hill. I would drink up in the next 3-5 years.
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5/27/2021 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very, very good; old-style; no heat; nice nose, smooth finish; great balance.
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5/21/2021 - Sundbyberg wrote: 92 Points
Tasting: Very solid US cab, which tastes French. Could not really tell the difference.
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5/16/2021 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Classic old school napa cabernet. This is getting better, has smoothed out. Plenty of time left.
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5/12/2021 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 97 Points
this wine was hitting on all cylinders last night. Drank with grilled beef tenderloin. This wine was the essence of an elegant aged Cab. Lots of subtle fruit, smoke, licorice, and earth. Good from the opening... no decant needed. Happy to have a few more to follow in the coming years. One of the best Montelena's I have had.
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5/5/2021 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin immediate sample. Very floral and not much of cassis, more dark blackberry and cherry. Sweetish but withheld fruit with herbal notes. Violets. Rather tannic still and lean for a Calicab. More like a left bank Bordeaux. Good acidity. Didn’t get any air this time. Fresh and vital but not much of complexity at this stage. Save for much longer if you’re after a mature wine, but I cannot say you have to.
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3/28/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully integrated tannins, rich cassis and plum fruit, some subtle paddock, and rich all American oak finish. Still to me the bellwether for traditional Napa cab and could easily go another ten plus years.
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10/16/2020 - davidandrose wrote:
3.5 hrs after decanting this lacks the depth and nuance of my last bottle of this vintage ~18 months ago. While there iample dry tanniin on the finish, diminishing during the drinking window, most of the fruit has dissipated… Again, at least from this bottle.
This was purchased from the winery upon release and was pulled out of its OWC. While I know there are some who will say I didn’t give this enough air, my notes from this and other bottles may reflect inconsistent damage from my 2017 relo.
Whatever the case, I’m less in love with the brand that I was 15 years ago.
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10/4/2020 - thegooddoctor Likes this wine: 94 Points
On opening the nose was flowery, like violet/lavender. First sips of strong tannins and acids. Kept bottle open for 30 mins, then recorked for half an hour. On reopening the tannins quickly softened, while the acids took another half an hour to diminish. Then the wine was sublime. Complex, integrated dark fruits with soft earth. A beautiful wine. Should last for another decade plus without issue.
The wine looks purple colored. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like violet. It tastes like forest floor, blackberry and black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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9/29/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely delightful. Perfectly balanced. Soft and silky. Poured from Plum, glass by glass. Doesn't need too much air to kick in.
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9/17/2020 - gamlingman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really a top notch wine but to be honest I expected a bit more. All experts indicated this has years more in the bottle but I thought it has started its downward cycle already. Nose is very light with a deep garnet color and very little sediment for something sitting in my cellar for many years. Definitely needed a couple of hours of decanting as it got much better as the evening wore on. Tremendous burst of Spice and explosion of cherry. Very soft round finish not what I expected at the end. Very good wine but I felt past its peak.
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8/28/2020 - Mdb1982 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a beautiful wine. Decanted for over 6 hours. I was a bit nervous about this, but this turned out to be the right decision as the wine opened up beautifully. This wine still has many years to go, so no rush to drink, but if you do, you won’t be disappointed.
Very smooth wine, tannins have mellowed nicely. Great red fruit flavor. Well balanced, old school Napa Cab, not over done like some of today’s wines. What a burst of flavor with a long finish. Wine smells amazing and inviting. Would highly recommend this wine or similar vintages. The Chicago Wine Company has some for sale at $110, about half that of Binny’s.
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7/30/2020 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and served and what a pretty surprise here.
The wine even at 16years young drinks so well and is devout of any overdone feature. Very much reminded us of the old school Napa Cabs of the 90s. Granted has the extra umph of the Napa sunshine isn’t he fruit but it’s all in check and in harmony and delivers very well where a bit of power is required. This has a long way to go for sure but drinks very well now. Just starting to show some secondary feel. 93 and with potential
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6/27/2020 - WinoRick Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped, decanted and served. Not much sediment, with a dark garnet color and no browning. Still youthful, but needed some time and work in the glass. Packed full of dark complex fruit and perfectly balanced. No hurry, but sure to please at present.
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6/4/2020 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cork busted while extracting but straining into a decanter did the job. Medium ruby. Very perfumed nose. Gave it one hour in the decanter. Tannins are mostly resolved. Very elegant with a long finish. Prime time IMHO.
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5/9/2020 - jbaron wrote: 94 Points
Has come together quite a bit since 2016. The nose is reticent but the mouth is great and the length is quite good. Somewhere between primary and not, but clearly stuffed for the future.
Should not be in any hurry to drink this one. Still room to go.
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5/2/2020 - WVWine wrote: 96 Points
Wonderful Magnum. Elegant and super smooth on the tongue. While not much fragrance for the nose, still a nice berry note. Went well with grilled filet.
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3/29/2020 - vpoms wrote: 91 Points
Starting to age gracefully: garnet hues are starting to get prominent. Nose is still powerful and pleasant: stewed black fruity, toast, vanilla,licorice, tomato leaf. Very pleasant on the palate with good structure, pleasant tannins and good flavors that mirror the aromas. I think it is peaking now.
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3/20/2020 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 95 Points
a terrific bottle of wine in a special spot in the middle of it's drinking window
remarkable fruit presence with an earthy backbone and an integrated elegance dancing between the notes
glad to have shared this prior to being quarantined
[but sad there wasn't more for me]
worth seeking out if stored properly
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3/3/2020 - rlove wrote: 93 Points
Ex-domaine. Like a ripe Pauillac with pretty aromas of black fruit, violet, soil, and a hint of graphite. Elegant with an effortless structure and softening tannins. Excellent concentration of dark fruited flavors without much sense of weight. The 2004 Montelena Estate is very good and should drink well for the long haul.
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2/10/2020 - ciesel wrote: 86 Points
Not the finest effort from this estate.
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10/13/2019 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Old school style Cabernet. Had next to the '03 and tasted the same.
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9/21/2019 - Javachip Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted. Clear inky garnet-black color. Glorious bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, anise, forest floor, espresso, unsweetened chocolate, grilled sage, thyme, bay leaf. Similar on the palate, full body, seamless, beautiful balance. Very young with great future ahead. Improved with air. My #1 and group's FIRST PLACE among red wines.
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9/21/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
PNP at Sabicca dinner. NC friends group. Drank over several hours and at the end of the dinner this wine won red of the night in an informal voting. Classic Napa Cab. Really nice nose, cassis, cherry and a hint of green. Well concentrated and has several years of life left but I don't think it will get any better. Depends on the style you like.
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9/21/2019 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superior complexity with tobacco, cedar, and dark berries.
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9/17/2019 - pu_golf88 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really outstanding, classic Napa cab. Really hit it's stride after about a 3 hour decant. This still has plenty of life left.
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7/8/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Complex, generous nose with notes of cassis, tobacco, smoke, graphite, eucalyptus. On the palate still a little tight with good grip and structure, lovely concentration and balance, very good acidity. Very elegant and lingering. 92-94
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6/2/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine: 93 Points
no decant, great texture, might merit a 95 in a decade's time
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5/10/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Friday Tasting Group: In HONOR of 1 of the Group's Mentors (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, tangy/SWT finish to the dusty tannins. Approachable now with food, this DESERVES/needs through '21, poss '22, then making its 25th? Impressive potential! 14.1% ABV; My EXC+. 95 pts ea WA & Vinous (Tanzer), 91 RJonWine, 86 WS, & 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson.
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4/8/2019 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and allowed it to rest for three hours, then followed over 90 minutes. While very soft and uncertain right out of the bottle, this did add some weight with time. Classic old World Bordeau, There’s lots of leather, black tea, earth and must.
I wouldn’t let these rest too much longer friends.
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3/28/2019 - hunter4us Likes this wine: 93 Points
at Reyes: 92+. 7 times double-decanted plus 20 min's wide decant plus open bottle and 2 hours later was ready for business - in full bloom. dark berries, tobacco, graphite, cedar, medium acid, nice cab & gail liked it. will be better with time - now, this bottle needed lots of air
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1/22/2019 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over 2 days after opening for a hour. Wonderful deep color. Nose of vanilla, spice, and dark fruit. Soft feel with round tannins. Drinking great!
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1/2/2019 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 93 Points
Somewhat alcoholic menthol nose but no trace of such in the smooth round mature palate. Pencil shavings and leather over dark fruit with a wonderful prolonged finish.
Fine soft tannins but lively on the finish. Strip steak dinner worked well. Very different impression from my May 2018 note.
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1/1/2019 - Deryl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour. Drinking very well now. Classic CM profile and structure.
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12/31/2018 - redhead6971 wrote: 88 Points
Color:Dark ruby on the sides with purple center. Nose: Black fruits,oak,vanilla,red and black currants along with tanned leather.
Palate: Black licorice & sassafras, oak, dried spices, very dry and tannic, cured tobacco leaf, black currant. Finish: A little residual alcohol, tannin's and acidity give indication this will have a very long life from 2020-2032. Slight hint of vanilla on the back side. I just thought the mid palate was a bit hollow in spite of the 3+ hours in my decanter. Still rock solid tannin's, great acids and built like a brick house. Try again in 2026-2032. 88 Points because I expected more like the 1997's I have had.
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12/25/2018 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
Fourteen years old and still going strong. Decanted for over an hour. This wine is bright and vibrant with a subtle nose of brambles, cardamom, vanilla and berry jam. Silky smooth on the palate with just a hint of heat. Medium to full body with great structure. The finish is long yet soft. A real beauty.
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12/21/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Friday Tasting Group: My 1st "Killer Bar" (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: Ripe berries with notes of pyrazines; Intensity lurking
P: LM body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucke which somewhat resolves by the LONG, *ult* pleasant finish. NEEDS 3 yrs or so more (guessing), then drinking for an addt'l 5-10 yrs more? 95 pts ea WA & Vinous (Tanzer), 91 RJonWine, 86 WS, & 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson.
While there was init consensus that this was in a backwards phase, of those that were fortuitous enough to have keep some in their tasting glass, I overheard more than a few stating that they WERE surprised @ HOW it was starting to come around.
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11/24/2018 - vpoms wrote: 89 Points
Clear deep purple color. Clean nose of medium plus intensity with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plums, vanilla, wet stone, leather. Wine is developing. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium flavor intensity of black cherry, mint, leather, mushrooms, The finish is medium. Wine is good, drink now or can be aged further. Just ok Body and length, lacks intensity and complexity.
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11/22/2018 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine: 90 Points
one hour decant, yet to develop bouquet, great texture, outstanding
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9/21/2018 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
WOW. I think this one has improved from the last 1-2 years that I've tried this wine. Has integrated nicely. Served alongside a 2012 Spoto Wines Cab Sauv Private Reserve, this wine is definitely showing a nice balanced profile of aged fruit on the front, a little pepper on the finish, but JUST now starting to show some black berry and spice and dancing all over the place. Really impressed with this wine. If Shay was here, he would be able to focus down on exactly what was here. But, needless to say this wine continues to evolve and is good to go for another 10 years.
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9/13/2018 - Markus IWC wrote: 91 Points
California BYOB #7: modern style, early maturity notes, blue/red fruit, chocolate, licorice, hints of tar, new oak, leafs, herbs. Slim and elegant body, nice acidity, lack a bit in complexity. 0 BV.
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8/27/2018 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Cassis, licorice black fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Full bodied with medium tannins. Medium finish. Drinking very nicely currently.
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7/26/2018 - Kevnzworld Likes this wine: 93 Points
I decanted for 3 hours before beginning to drink, but consumed over an additional two hours.
Fragrent fresh nose of eucalyptus and berry
The flavor is blackberry and cassis
The body is medium light.
This bottle has better balance, structure and integrity than my prior bottle.
It has the sweetness and flavor of a Napa cab without the over extracted jammyness of some of its higher priced peers.
Time in the cellar has mellowed the tannins acidity and heat leaving a pleasant bottle of wine.
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5/25/2018 - Kevnzworld wrote: 90 Points
I decanted for two hours. The nose is nice, fruity floral and herbal. Upon tasting, the fruit is a mixture of berries, dark cherry with a hint of oregano. A good balance, mild acidity, slight but evident tannins but a little thin on the finish.
I have two bottles left, will give this some more time to develop, it’s still drinking slightly young, I hope it grows up!
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5/23/2018 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
Old school Cabernet that has plenty of time left. Unexciting. This will seem flabby to anyone looking for anything layered or plush. Drink or Hold.
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5/15/2018 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 89 Points
Somewhat underwhelmed. Nice flavors. Kind of flabby. Expected more.
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5/11/2018 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second among many, many wines (#1 was a '87 Dunn Howell Mtn.)
Old world funk intermingled wonderfully with berry, cassis, and earth and an incredibly long finish. This is a world class wine.
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4/7/2018 - bobh22314 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at a party
General impression fruit restrained nice flavors but a short finish
Almost thought the wine was close to corked
Everyone loved the wine but was it the name or the wine??
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3/29/2018 - patrick27 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect age to drink. Still good fruit, but strong tertiary flavors. Mild tannins, beautiful blending of fruit,herb and earth
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2/10/2018 - Deryl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very ready. Awesome.
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1/20/2018 - cos82 wrote: 89 Points
Lacking fruit. Dark purple in color. Still same tannin to resolve, but not much. Fruity and floral nose. Palate ok with a tad of blackberry, some earth and cedar. I expected better, but still decent.
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12/3/2017 - fats1976 Likes this wine: 94 Points
With Thirteen years bittle age, this shows no signs of slowin down. Beautiful deep red color, Greg acidity and lovey tannins. Deep dark berry and chocolate in the palate. Outstanding.
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11/25/2017 - MC wrote:
PNP. I only had a brief taste, but this was ripe, balanced, and drinking well. Some tannin still showing on the finish that was not an issue but might soften a touch with some more time and improve this a bit. A-
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10/11/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Estate Vertical (Plum Market - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. All black fruit, nicely fresh and elegant. Moderate weight and concentration. Very good now, possibly some upside.
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9/22/2017 - MobileGreg wrote: 96 Points
Unbelievable chocolate and fresh tobacco aromas with an impeccable balance and amazing finish.
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9/16/2017 - gharter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 3 hours, and it needs it or more. Few Montelenas are PnP wines. Still very dark with no browning or discoloration. Quite aromatic with dark fruits, leather, some tobacco and a hint of herbal. Flavors were similar with blackberry, cassis, leather, earth, black pepper, and a touch of bell pepper. Starting to develop more complexity than earlier bottles. The tannins have really started to soften. Long finish with great balance. Just really starting to hit its stride. Based on other Montelenas, can easily go another 20-30 years. Will probably improve at least for another 10-15 years.
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8/14/2017 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
see notes from 2016 05 07; just keeps getting better
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7/29/2017 - Marceloconde Likes this wine: 97 Points
Adorei muito
Belo nariz
Bom na boca
Pronto
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7/24/2017 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. Cassis, licorice black fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Full bodied with medium tannins. Medium finish. Drinking very nicely currently.
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6/9/2017 - KSWinegeek wrote: 94 Points
Blackberry chocolate in an elegant, balanced wine. Drinking nicely now, but certainly will be goo for a long time yet.
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5/11/2017 - WinoRick Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank blind against five other cabs rated 91-97 by RMP. This was the group's as well as my clear favorite. Balanced, long and Montelena has never Parkerized their wines. Plus, they age forever as a bonus.
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5/4/2017 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
A bit of discolouration towards the rim. Generous fruit on the nose, notes of graphite, smoke. On the palate quite firm and grippy, lots of ripe fruit. Spicy, very good length. Drink or keep. 91-93
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3/11/2017 - Mbressack Likes this wine:
Finally opened my second bottle. At first sip, the wine was very light and not much nose or taste.
But now this beauty is starting to open up. Medium to Dark red, ruby color. Soft tannins. Aromas of tar and espresso. Not a powerhouse. This is still young but nicely balanced and a very long, finish. Stunning.
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1/6/2017 - WinoRick wrote: 94 Points
Stop! Don't drink this for another 5 years...! Thick and complex, with typical Montelena bell pepper background.
All Montelena benefits with age and this will lose it's thickness and gain complexity with time and more time.
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12/25/2016 - FLI Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Heady nose right on the open, with tannins still kicking a bit, but well integrated.
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12/24/2016 - jbaron Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great length, good nose, but the mouth and tastes don't hold up yet. Yet. Score for tonight only... not for future potential, which would be quite a bit higher.
Try next in 2019...?
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10/31/2016 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Similar notes to Sept 2016
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10/20/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still drinking quite young. Opens up beautifully with floral and dark berry notes on the nose and layered palate upon a wonderful tannic structure and long finish.
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9/9/2016 - oldwines wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at the winery, decanted at 8:30am and drunk around 3pm...Dark opaque garnet with no sign of age. The nose is floral, deep, rich and effusive with black fruit, leather and chocolate. Classic Montelena! Plenty of tannic structure for long life but not abrasive. On the palate the flavors are long lasting and rich with licorice, blackberry, chocolate, leather, a little pine needles in complex layers. A very good long life ahead. Long finish. Needs the breathing to fully evolve! Gorgeous for many years to come.
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9/9/2016 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. Cassis, licorice black fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Full bodied with medium tannins. Medium finish. Drinking very nicely currently.
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7/12/2016 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light bodied, with a bit more acidity than the typical Napa cab. Took a little getting used to, but overall enjoyable.
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6/19/2016 - ciesel wrote: 88 Points
I've been all over with this wine, but at the end of the day I don't think this is aging very well. Rather short finish, not all that interesting. Not bad, but not up to par for a CM
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6/12/2016 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
see notes from 2016 05 07; Drank from 375 bottle. Little more tannic;
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5/25/2016 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a magnum. Popped and poured. We had a crowd but everyone took notice when this wine was tasted. Very elegant and a very long finish. Delicious to drink now.
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5/19/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Tasted blind. Dark, hardly any evolution in terms of colour. Compared to 1996 Las Cases slightly more confected, sweeter on the nose, layers of fruit, spices, herbs. On the palate silky and round - the tannins are very polished and ripe. Very well balanced. Great mouthfeel, soft and generous. Great length. Drink or hold. 92-94
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5/7/2016 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
This one was drank from 375 ml bottle. Montelena Estate cabs just never disappoint. Very approachable but still a baby that needs another 5. Bright dark red fruit with touch of mint. Balanced and elegant palate; decent length. Will get better yet.
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4/23/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark color with light bricking on the edges. No green but sense the acidity noted by others. Really begins to improve w 45mins of oxidation (not decanted) and adds a bit of weight as the wine begins to rebalance itself. In a good place in its drinking window, but no rush. See this continuing to evolve with modest improvement over the coming 5 years.
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4/11/2016 - gejohnston Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine drinking very well right now. Could go many more years but why wait?
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4/9/2016 - SeeGars Likes this wine:
House of cards debut season 4, still has acidity and tannins in youth that it isn't yet balanced enough to unite, check again in 2-3 yrs
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3/27/2016 - Justinwine wrote: 94 Points
Old world style that is just hitting its apex of great drinking. Cabernet at its purest.
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2/28/2016 - davidspieker wrote: 88 Points
Dark garnet color. Dark berry and spice aromas. Bordeaux style with restrained fruit and a bit too much acid. Not much complexity with a medium finish.
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2/22/2016 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very enjoyable cab. Not a blockbuster like my last bottle but very good none the less. The acid on bottle number two seemed a bit too prevalent, overwhelming the the other complex flavors evident in the last bottle. Hoping my remaining 4 will be like the first bottle.
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2/15/2016 - drwinenut Likes this wine: 89 Points
It's always sad when we wait too long on a bottle. The wine is starting to tire. Still well balanced, but fruit is getting dried out, one can get a sense of what the wine should have been. Please note that this was a 375, I wouldn't be surprised if the 750 was rockin
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12/29/2015 - juicejammer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep Ruby in the glass. Very fragrant upon opening with aromas of black cherry, licorice and spring flowers. On the palate this is rich and complex with layers of black currant, blackberries, camphor and dried mushrooms. Finishes dry but flavors linger for 30 seconds. Tannins have a firm grip giving this a long life line. Can easily go another 25+.
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12/27/2015 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
A fair example of a Napa cab in a BDX style - a bit restrained on the fruit, with a bit of earthiness. Weak QPR.
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11/29/2015 - Bodyfxr wrote: 88 Points
Popped and aired for 2 hours. Had along with the '03 which out shinned the '04. Quite frankly, this vintage needs more time. A bit too hot and alcohol heavy. I expected way more out of this wine but should improve with 3-5 more years.
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11/28/2015 - AllRed wrote:
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): I did not get much out of this and thought it may have been slightly off. Dark fruit on the nose and palate, but that was about it. No rating/guess.
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11/23/2015 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted an hour before drinking, wine is drinking well and an excellent example of California Cab.
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11/8/2015 - juicejammer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep Ruby in the glass with fragrant aromas of dark plum, violet and blackberries. On the palate this is rich and layered with flavors of black and blue fruits with licorice and resin adding complexity. Finishes long and earthy. Can go for decades.
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10/19/2015 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I like but still a little tannic.
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10/10/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is the first of a six pack and let me tell you this wine is singing tonight. Opened about an hour before drinking. When I do this I always pour a small taste to make sure the bottle is not flawed. WOW, I have to admit pouring a bit more than my normal taste. The wine is big and bold and great right from the git-go; but certainly better after waiting the hour. The color is crystal clear garnet. The nose has big graphite, vanilla, cherry, and a little olive. The palate is nicely balanced. A substantial backbone of sweet tannin is followed by creme de cassis, cola, a medley of dark fruits, pepper spice, and a touch of eucalyptus. The wine has a long lingering finish. Although it gives a lot of pleasure now additional cellar time will certainly show additional development. I would say if you have a stash it is time to crack one, if you only have a few I would wait a few more years. This may be my best Montelena to date.
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10/8/2015 - jpwines wrote: 94 Points
Great wine--long finish. Decanted for an hour--it got better as the night wore on.
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8/23/2015 - MC wrote:
This was pretty good out of the bottle, and very good with an hour of air. Ripe yet balanced, with nice ripe tannins. This was also good on day 2. In a very nice spot right now. A-
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7/18/2015 - kbcadeponei wrote: 96 Points
This is a mind blowing cab, as complex as any varietal can get reaching its peak now with superb freshness! Intoxicating (in a good way) recently cut grass, citric feel, menthol, sage, plums, cherries, chocolate milk, lavender and huge smoked tones set one of the most intriguing nose profile, followed by a powerful, creamy, full bodied palate, with coccoa and cherry sweetness mixed with deep vegetal feel, tobacco and mint, lasting for very long. One of a kind!!! 96
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7/6/2015 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Montelena Estate cabs just keeps impressing me more and more. This one was drank from 375 ml bottle. As enjoyable and approachable as it was it is still a baby that needs another 5 to 10 years even in this format. Balanced and elegant now and will get better.
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5/24/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin'd a generous pour from a 375 and let it breathe for 2 hours. Nose shows tight wood, vanilla, and alcohol. Mouthfeel is nicely balanced with a silky coating; black fruit, brambles, cedar - the fruit component is rich and youthful, thought there's one off greenish note that hits front palate. I'd imagine this has several years remaining before peaking and will try a full bottle later this year w ample decant time.
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5/18/2015 - subir wrote: 91 Points
Still quite tannic, but fruit is getting a bit baked...
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4/29/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 90 Points
From Montelena Estate Cab vertical tasting. Relatively closed nose with earth and berry notes. Alcohol present. Tannic and tight. Nice fruit mid palate. Still young.
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4/7/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Very good with lots of air, but would be best to hold for several more years.
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4/6/2015 - FLI Likes this wine: 87 Points
Alcohol-heavy, without the richness of fruit to balance it out. Disappointing.
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3/29/2015 - Grinner wrote: 93 Points
Spring Warm Up Tasting (The Lyon's Tree House): Four hour decant. Just starting to evolve after 10+ years! A big black New World fruit profile after the CdP. There are hints of stone, cocoa, and mint lingering with the fruit on the firm finish. Improved for hours to the last drop.
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1/29/2015 - JJN Likes this wine: 94 Points
as part of a vertical tasting with the '04 and '05. Excellent depth and complexity
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1/18/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Cabs at Cooking School (Maybach, Ghost Horse +++) (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): This was decanted for sediment about an hour before lunch. It was still quite tight. I poured some in a glass and swirled for 20 minutes or so to let it get some air. It did open nicely although, I would hold these for now. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, licorice and spice. Full bodied with medium tannins. Austere at first it keeps putting on weight. Shows a nice complexity with some coaxing. Cassis and spice on the palate. Nice finish.
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12/19/2014 - dlcass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice wine. Classic Napa cab with nice balance and texture. Not extraordinary.
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12/12/2014 - MC wrote:
Decanted 2 hours. This will probably get a little better with time, but right now is a very nice balance of fruit and structure and as usual, a combo of old and new world elements to it. I enjoyed it quite a bit with food. A-
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11/22/2014 - ipp Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a potential rockstar. We drank it after decanting 2 hours (from magnum). It was excellent. A fully bodied, well balanced cab with a pretty palate of blackberry, smoke, cassis and some old-world nuances. Big, sweet tannins that will integrate more with time. I give it a 93 now, but it have 95+ potential. I am so glad I loaded up on this vintage.
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11/2/2014 - Bill Bucklew wrote: 90 Points
Double decanted for thee hours, tasted blind initially. Very fruit forward nose of almost brambly fruit, almost dark grape, Medium acid, the mid-palate is pure driven red cherry, medium plus body, medium minus acidity, grape juicy on the palate, it's primal yet balanced. This will improve with a bit more age.
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10/26/2014 - stewlawr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Balanced Cabernet. Opened up after about 2 hours.
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10/19/2014 - AlexHop wrote: 96 Points
Nose couldn't be more different than the 2005. Lighter smoke. Beautiful elegant body. Drinking great right now. A little green pepper, dark stone fruit, and lead. A very long finish. Tasted at the winery.
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10/17/2014 - levinml wrote: 94 Points
This was really good, drinking well now and reminiscent of classic Montelena. Complex flavors, balance and length. Good now and for quite a while. Surprisingly good value.
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8/8/2014 - REWindsor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted at delfriscos steakhouse NYC. Cabernet heavy but nice dark fruits with light oak background. Accompanied steak beautifully. Long finish with minerality and gentle spice.
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7/26/2014 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is an excellent blend of new world fruit with old world complexity. Dark fruits that are deep but not sweet or flabby. Excellent backbone to a warm year cab. Notes of tobacco, chocolate and cedar in a layered cab. Long finish
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7/20/2014 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I am bumping this up from my last review in 2009 where I gave this a 93.
This is perfect right now. The dark fruits are still there and the secondary elements of spice, chocolate and cigar box are at equal levels. The elements of this wine are in perfect balance and drinking this is a an amazing experience.
The nose, mouth feel and palate are all equal at this point in time. Powerful nose with soft undertones. On the palate the flavors are layered and you will need to take your time enjoying each element.
I am not sure this can get better but if it does.... you will hear about it here first!
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7/10/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
RRV and Napa Visit; 7/7/2014-8/30/2014 (Napa and Sonoma): Damn, that’s some suave fruit in the aromas. Substantially less weight than the 2006, starting to show some tertiary flavors. Water weight-y palate. Drinks like a dream. Still Med tannin and exhibiting some forest floor elements. But I’m still preferring the 2006 Estate Cab to this.
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6/22/2014 - Dnjhansen wrote: 91 Points
Great with the steak, but less complex than other wines at this price point. That said the quality is consistent year after year and buying futures keeps the cost more in line with the flavor profile.
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6/16/2014 - Cow Town wrote: 91 Points
Drank blind with six other 2004s. The most feminine of the bunch, but bordering on being too light. A silky, if somewhat short finish out of the gate, but got better with air. Very nice wine, just maybe not up to Montelenas of years past.
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5/1/2014 - yofog wrote: 93 Points
Really elegant, light on the palate though full-bodied, super supple. Currant, rocks, gravel, leaf, very long. Young, just starting to open up.
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4/20/2014 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first 04, and if this bottle is any indication, I will hold my others for at least five more years. Tight, restrained, and a bit tannic, this showed glimpses of what a Montelena can be, but never quite came into focus. A good wine right now, but hopefully better in a few years.
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4/17/2014 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): [Double decanted for 2 hours.] Wonderful complex nose. Big ripe tannic. Very young. Could have used a lot more air. A great future in 8-15 years. 93-96 points.
Open 48 hours: Stunning, great balance, classic Napa Cab.
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4/16/2014 - wesyee wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful & elegant!
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3/28/2014 - davidandrose wrote:
Taken by the earthquake gods
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3/22/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Montelena. First 04 we opened and drinking beautifully with a prime rib dinner. All elements needs: structure, length, complexity, more complexity- we have loved montelena since the 1984 and this one does not disappoint, and it borders on being reasonably priced too. You could spend 5 times this and get no better. And this beaut has a decade to go or more.
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1/27/2014 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big Cab with great berry flavors. This wine has a long finish and a great nose. Really a nice wine.
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12/25/2013 - ciesel wrote: 91 Points
Had with tenderloin for Christmas dinner. Still seems young. Was best with food.
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8/25/2013 - ciesel wrote: 85 Points
Loved upon opening. Went through several changes quickly within 1st hour, then faded rather quickly. Something unpleasant throughout though. Possibly bad bottle. After 3 hours of being open very pedestrian.
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7/22/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Another wine over the backyard fence; Mike's bottle. Big, ripe, and drinking well now though it should acquire some noble depth with time.
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7/14/2013 - JJB1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great as always. Big fruity wine. Always a winner.
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7/1/2013 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well but I think it may have a little more to give with some time.
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3/20/2013 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Drank on vacation, night after 1997 Insignia. Half a notch below, but still classy stuff. Good balance and flavor with 5-10 years ahead. Drink anytime.
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3/9/2013 - Rieslingfan wrote:
I keep opening these 375s of the 2004, and they keep rewarding me. Last night's bottle was stuffed with black cherry and blackberry fruit, and supported by significant tannin that made its presence felt, but did not overwhelm the wine. There's still a bit of an oak signature, but it's a secondary player behind the ripe fruit. This was a delicious match with my burger.
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2/15/2013 - scotty_b wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Black cherry, cigar, licorice. Firm but pleasant tannins. Still young.
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1/15/2013 - EJKIII wrote: 92 Points
Nice, but not up to CM standards. Red fruit, dust, solid structure, but more a double than a home run.
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1/1/2013 - halfred Likes this wine: 92 Points
A rich and classic Montelena. Good structure and depth and more time left in the bottle.
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12/25/2012 - boegemann Likes this wine: 91 Points
30 minute decant. Delicious black fruit on the nose, red fruit and mineral flavors with a hint of warm spice.
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12/19/2012 - Mbressack wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely delicious. Actually tasted better before it was decanted.
Slight tannins, great nose, complicated and special. A truly signature wine. I wish I could have something as wonderful as this every night. Maybe I will.
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9/27/2012 - markcic wrote: 91 Points
At Zest in DC with Tara, Oliver and Sanders. Poured into glasses using a vinturi - dark fruits on the nose, the palate opens with spices, smoke, currents, cherries and some cigar box, the finish is long. This wine has years ahead of it.
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9/17/2012 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 95 Points
The Semicentennial Birthday "Season"; 9/16/2012-9/18/2012 (San Francisco and the Napa Valley): This wine still appears quite youthful, with an opaque ruby robe. The nose is stunning, with aromas of scorched earth, crushed rock and anise, superimposed on a strong blackcurrant "backbone." The palate is excellently structured, with medium acidity, big ripe tannins, well-integrated alcohol and ripe black fruit (and mineral) flavors. The middle palate is solid and the finish is very long and seamless. This is classic Napa Cabernet, with excellent ripe fruit and structure which will take it a long way. It will certainly improve with time in the bottle. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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9/11/2012 - J-Sho wrote: 90 Points
Purchased this after it was the best from a vertical tasting at the winery. On the nose, immediately with some dark fruit but then transformed with some herb and bramble with a touch of anise. Palate with moderate in weight and tannins integrated but did not get tremendous complexity. Finish moderate. I don't anticipate this greatly improving with more age. These wines are meant to age but I'm not sure they are worth the cost with so many other great Cali wines out there that are more exciting.
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5/2/2012 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Binny's welcomes Bo Barrett (Binny's, Linclon Park): Deep garnet color. Roasted thyme, red currants, plum, pine sap and black fruit notes. Full-bodied, with red currant, licorice and cherry flavors. Strong across the palate, with black fruit on the finish.
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2/6/2012 - Cameron Gunn wrote: 93 Points
Classic cali cab nose of black cherry, vannila, dill, toast, olive and wet soil. Red fruit driven in the mouth with a focused attack of cherry and currant. Great spine of acidity. Long savory anis and berry finish and fine, ultra polished tannins. Still a baby but completely drinkable now.
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1/12/2012 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. WOW-O-WOW. In a way I'm really very disgusted with myself for consuming this one, but this wine was amazing. The cork pulled easily - less than 1mm bleed on the cork with a medium red stain. Nose out of the bottle was pepper, licorice, cherry, but all very subtle. This wine poured into a decanter a DEEP red with some mild violet tones. After 20 minutes, a smell from the decanter revealed practically ZERO nose. 1.5 hours later, the wine started to reveal hints of spice, ripe dark fruits - blackberry, possibly some blueberry, mulberry? Fig? There was a lot going on, but again all very subtle. Wine was poured into a glass and swirled vigorously. Lots of dark fruit nose started to come out. Wine first tasted was still very closed, but quickly opened. Paired VERY well with a meatloaf. On the palate is a nice healthy robust, chewy dark fruit cab with black pepper spice that opened up to full throttle with the meat. Licorice, black cherry, raspberry, fig, even a little plum, was all there. There was a specific note in the wine that almost reminded me of a cooking spice like allspice or oregano? The wine progressed to a very velvety consistency and had excellent structure, balance, and actually some exceptional complexity with oak barrel finish that had you wanting more. Oak barrel mellowed out tremendously with food, allowing more spice and dark fruit to linger - very reminiscent of a SuperTuscan bomb. 30-40 second finish. WOW. Highest ratings seem to come from those who actually gave this wine the ample time to open, so please let this one sit for a while.
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12/24/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Not given much air as this was opened after we realised that a 2001 Monty we had opened was mildly corked. Soft, maybe closed down, definately shows the Monty european style of winemaking. Will retry again in a year+
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11/20/2011 - Deryl wrote: 90 Points
Good, but way too young. Opened by mistake.
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10/30/2011 - Dnjhansen wrote: 92 Points
Needs more time in bottle. Decanted for a few hours, great nose, bright cherry mid palate, significant depth and tannins, looking forward to future bottles
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9/9/2011 - Rob MacKay wrote: 92 Points
Ordered off a restaurant wine list in Whistler BC for much less then you would think compared to some of the other crazy markups they had. This wine showed very well with great texture and really soft tannins. The fruit was quite pure and the oak was integrated nicely. Finishes long and smooth. Great match for the steak.
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8/9/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Closed down at the moment. Muted nose. Alcohol and some faint dark purple and black berries. Hints of licorice, coffee and some black olive savory essence as well. Touch of green bell pepper. Let this rest for at least 3 years. Promising but hard to tell at this dumb stage.
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7/23/2011 - Surfdoc wrote: 91 Points
Takes about 2 hours to open up and reveal firm cassis flavor with a moderate oak backbone. Generally well balanced - not too fruit forward and not overly oaked but did not show quite the complexity I would have expected.
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7/18/2011 - n2wine wrote: 93 Points
Wow! I have not had a CA cab this good in a long time. Chewy with dark fruit.
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5/17/2011 - mcole23 wrote: 92 Points
Very well balanced fruit forward wine. Great time to have popped the cork on this one.
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3/23/2011 - iwadasn wrote: 92 Points
Definitely needs to breathe. First tastings were overpowering with dense flavor and saltiness. Time is the friend of this wine, revealing hints of apple and chocolate. Brings to mind homemade brownies and mint. Fills the palate, and long aftertaste leaves ample time to contemplate complexities..... Finished last few ounces my spouse didn't finish about 2 hours later and got to enjoy the full richness of the grapes. We always look for words to describe a wine and bottom line, it's the grapes that we're tasting. These are lovely and aged well.
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1/1/2011 - mattiej wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic new years wine. Buttery, viscous palate. Would definitely recommend for a special occasion. Can't go wrong.
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12/23/2010 - elbosco wrote: 93 Points
Solid Montelana Estate. Somewhat tight for the vintage but opened nicely with aeration showing highly perfumed nose and rich palate. Hold 3-5 years (at least) or decant several hours. Long life ahead for this one.
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12/20/2010 - Xtriguy wrote: 92 Points
Classic Napa cab profile, but very nicely balanced. A firm nose, with a long finish.
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10/20/2010 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No.8 - US Theme (Sage @ Mohamed Sultan Rd): Alcohol : 14.1%
The most elegant wine with finesse, beautiful texture and structure for tonight. Super silky fine tannins that caressing the palate, good delineation with lots of blackcurrant fruits, creme de cassis and spices with long, mouth filling finish. Though is tannic, but very fine and the rich concentration to buffer sheer balance is awesome to buffer the structure and tannin which made the wine approachable. Very good indeed and this need at least 10yrs to really start showing itself. Buy - Maybe
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9/27/2010 - Rieslingfan wrote: 92 Points
It is really hard to think about my remaining half-bottles and not want to drink them up. I know Montelena is an ager, but this wine is so delicious now that I really cannot resist. It's very fruity, but that fruit is well mannered and balanced. There's tannin, but the wine is plush enough to keep the tannins from drying at all. Overall it's just a joy to drink even if it has a lot of upside potential.
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7/23/2010 - Capt M wrote: 94 Points
Starts with a beautiful color, quite dark purple. Such a complex nose, very sensational, giving aromas of pomegranate and dark cherries, but also vanilla and maybe hints of clove. Quite a long and wide passage through the palate, showing amazing fruit, great complexity, but most of all, an incredible structure and backbone, all covered by quality fruit, and accentuated by a fair amount of oak. Very, very long finish. Quite an experience.
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7/17/2010 - Capybara562 wrote: 92 Points
This is still a baby. Did not decant first - opened for about 20 minutes and drank over ~45 minutes with grilled flank steak and baked potatoes. Aromas were faint, but tastes are robust (fruit and tannins nicely balanced, but both intense), and the finish is 20+ seconds. Saw another reviewer note "chewy" and I totally agree with that. Suggest another 2-3 years minimum before opening the rest of the lot.
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6/27/2010 - MC wrote:
Tasted over 2 days vs. a 2004 Dominus. This was better early, showing fruit even if some tannin on the finish. A few hours later the Dominus had really started to show better, with a more rich mid-palate. Next day this was back to the favorite, still showing great fruit while the Dominus seemed a bit shut down. Overall a very nice wine that needs some time but shows good fruit now. Only complaint is it is a bit short in the mid-palate. A-
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3/31/2010 - biggwater wrote: 89 Points
i am not as impressed as others...maybe its the bottle size but i thought the wine was light and thin. i decantd 3 hours
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3/22/2010 - ey1294 wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for 4 hours and I am glad we did. Most California Cabs can't take being decanted that long but this one needs it. The nose is butter and chocolate. The finish is very nice and very rich. It was paired with paella and did nicely. The wine is still young, but showing well now. Just make sure to decant it! This is a big boy.
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3/9/2010 - ciesel wrote: 92 Points
Still seems young.
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3/4/2010 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Provence Restaurant, Albany, NY): Big beefy red fruit nose with lots of minerals. A delicious wine with excellent balance. Drinking quite well tonight. Would be good with steak. 93-95 points.
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1/18/2010 - Nardonec wrote:
This wine rocked; we were totally blown away at how full and balanced this wine was. Full of fruity flavors, ripe cherries with very big broad shoulders.
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12/15/2009 - Alex H wrote: 86 Points
Montelena and Duckhorns: Wow! Beautiful perfumed nose of garrigue herbs and spices with more dried herbs all sprinkled atop layered and intense black fruits. Dark and brooding but also bursting with a luxury of fruit flavours. Very enjoyable.
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11/14/2009 - biztalk wrote: 89 Points
A bit light and thin for my tastes. Had this at the tasting room and the staff were quite rude as well. Could have negatively coloured my impressions.
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10/18/2009 - jschmeling wrote: 92 Points
Wow. Dark red garnet colored. It has gobs of dark fruit, nice balance, intense flavor, and a long finish. I'm probably too much of a novice to see where it's going, but it seemed to be a straightforward wine, not complex. At $120 it probably ought to be cellared to give it an opportunity to evolve and express the complexity it should have.
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10/11/2009 - brouigu1 wrote: 93 Points
I am bumping this up a point to 93 – The nose is fantastic, it gives a perfect preview of what is in the glass. Scents of dark fruit, mocha, oak and a spicy cigar. This is a bold wine that stands a NY on its end. The texture is soft to velvet and the spice on the finish is a treat with every taste. I really like the balance of tannin and acidity and think this wine will garner a higher rating in the next year or two.
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10/8/2009 - Eduhersp wrote: 93 Points
Taken from a 37ml bottle. decanted for 1 hour. Beautiful dark opaque colour.
Nose: Blockbuster nose, Beautiful and complex, shades of blueberries, chocolate, some oak, cigar box etc etc.... Very impressed. The pedigree is very noticeable.
Taste: Big, bold wine with good acidity, subtle fruit and good sturdy tannins. Nice touches of licorice, chocolate, mocha with shades of dark fruit and oak. This wine is creamy, chewy, full bodied and very concentrated. A puckerer! The finish is excellent and goes on forever. This great cab is very well balanced but I gather that the wine is still a bit young and should held for at least 5 years. The tannins are a bit overpowering and the fruit needs to claim some territory. If it matches the great nose, this wine could score 95 at least. Great stuff!
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8/29/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
2003 and 2004 Monty Estate, both from 375s; opened and allowed to sit for 2 hours, then decanted and consumed over 2.5 hours.
2003 - This was somewhat vegetal early on , with the same sweet tanins noted in my last tasting from 2 1/2 years ago. The sweetness began to fade immediately once decanted and improved significantly from there. Red fruit aromas with violets and lavendar. Dry flavor but still somewhat sweet, with red fruits, plums and chocolate. An unusual Calibab though from a "softer" year. 90-
2004 - This also displayed a slight sweetness early on but was far more lip-puckering tannic. More black or dark fruit as oppose to the red fruits of the '03 vintage. The tannins carried on throughout the evening, with a wine with more body, depth and weight than the '03. I found this bottle a bit more enjoyable and more likely to exhibit staying power. 92?
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8/29/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
The '04 combines richness with elegance and finesse, the ripe currant, cherry and blackberry flavors offset by a pleasant earthiness and tobacco and finishing with firm, fine-grained tannins. Needs time to reach it peak. (Best from 2011-2022) - JD93
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8/23/2009 - zacojam wrote: 91 Points
Good spice on the front with some fruit on the mid. Smooth tannins and finish. This is still a young wine and should be even better in a few years.
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6/21/2009 - vpoms wrote: 92 Points
Thi swine is still young but drinking well now. It should be outstanding in about another three or four years.
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4/29/2009 - jasonh wrote: 91 Points
Opened for 5 hours and decanted for another hour.
Just a brief impression. The wine smells great. On the palate the attack and middle are near perfect. There is a weird flavor on the immediate finish. Medium acid and tannin. Not as hard as some Montelenas. At this stage the wine is not overly complex. The rest of my bottles will sleep. Showing the signs of a classic Montelena although maybe not the greatest. 91-92 pts
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4/29/2009 - LPskeleton wrote: 92 Points
WOW. This will age beautifully. So deep and dense. What a wine.
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4/18/2009 - brouigu1 wrote: 92 Points
One of our favorites no doubt. This is a well balanced wine that starts off chewy with black fruits and hints of earthy spice. It opens very nicely offering more flavors then I can identify, but I know they are there! Decant 20 minutes before enjoying a grilled steak and it will be the highlight of the day!
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3/14/2009 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Very nice.
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3/2/2009 - ews3 wrote: 92 Points
Drank side by side witht he 05, and they were very similar int heir profile. This one exuded a little more chocolate to me, with some sweet spice and lots of black fruit. The tannins were still nice in this, but it didnt feel like it had quite the same structure that the 05 did. Still a very good wine.
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2/18/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Again shows off the franc in the nose right away to me. And that isn't a bad thing. Easier intial palate (moca, bitter sweet chocolate from the drought year says the estate), softer early palate. But the back end is still tight and youthful. Fine to drink now but waiting five years isn't going to hurt it. Yes, the bitter coco thing comes across on the palate in a rather delightful, distinctive way. Lingering finish. This is well made wine.
The 2005 will be a wildly different vintage than this. It was a very slow, delibrate growing seasons. The fruit was picked over 45 days. They feel it is a classic vintage (the 2005) and will turn out to be one of thier best. It will be a leaner style for them.
After tasting the estate Cabernet, Zinfandel and Chardonnay my feeling is that at this point in time the Estate Cabernet is probably thier strongest wine, followed by the zinfnadel. My feeling is that this is because they are "the estate". The chardonnay, while not being bad at all, is the weakest of the set. But it is not estate and I am not sure that you can substitue non-estate fruit and still get the same character. The basic Napa cab I have never had any time for because I don't think it is worth its $40 price tag.
The estate could be labeled organic but they are choosing not to persue the qualification. They have been persuing this policy since 1972.
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2/18/2009 - ToniJ wrote:
Drought year. Mocha bittersweet chocolate. Silky texture plummy fruit an da bit of pepper.
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2/7/2009 - eric42 wrote: 91 Points
Drank while watching "Bottle Shock".
Light nose, and tannins were a little astringent. Otherwise a quality wine. Aroma's main component was anise, with a little black cherry and sweet oak. Palate had the unusual combo of chocolate, vanilla, and a little strawberry in the finish. Neopolitan ice cream, anyone?
Wine stayed tight throughout (decanted for 2 hours, drank over 2 hours). Should definitely improve over the next 5-10 years.
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12/6/2008 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
I didn't like this quite as much as most, but it is still an excellent effort. Fruit driven with a chocolate background. some spice.
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12/6/2008 - jrobs7777 wrote: 94 Points
Blind California Cabernet Tasting: Very nice effort. Finish in my top 3 of the blind Cali Cab tasting. Identified as the Montelena, as the profile was quite unique. Nice nose, although maybe a bit generic. Cherry, caramel and milk chocolate with a richness to it. The wine filled the mouth well with some nice spice, almost like Mexican hot chocolate. Some tannins at the back end with a nice finish. This wine clearly needs some time to improve and could go as high as 96-97. It was a consensus "top half" wine and will definitely improve with 3-5 years, at least.
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12/4/2008 - ciesel wrote: 92 Points
Very good, concentrated dark fruit flavors, with a hint of cocoa and tobacco with lots of tannins after about half an hour of decanting. Stayed this way for about two hours. Then seemed to close down and turn a little sour, and since I was out of time, had to finish the last of it (had been sharing with family). I think this will continue to improve, will wait a couple of years before trying again.
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10/1/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Montelena Seminar (Binny's Highland Park, Highland Park IL): nose: big but very well balanced nose filled to the brim with rich red fruits, cassis, tobacco, cedar tones, and bits of herbal notes and root stalks
taste: full bodied feel with rich red fruits, cassis, tobacco, cedar, and dark chocolate tones
overall: Wonderful full bodied feel with big chewy tannins. A massive montelena with great depth and succulent layers. More open then I expected for such a young montelena, but this will be a stunner when it comes around. It brings about a rich red fruit attack and sweet cassis finish that doesn't want to stop.
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8/10/2008 - Harley1199 wrote:
Visiting Napa & All Around; 8/2/2008-8/18/2008 (California - USA): Visiting Napa Valley, Chateau Montelena Tasting Room. Despite it is younger than 2.001, this bottle seems to be more ready to go right now. Floral, full of berries aromas and clean tannins. I did not pick this but elder.
Pese a ser más joven que la del 2.001, esta botella parecía más preparada para ser consumida ahora mismo. Floral, llena de aromas a frutos del bosque y con unos taninos limpios. No obstante, compré la antigua.
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8/2/2008 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
From a .375; decanted and allowed to sit for 2 hours prior to drinking. This is an outstanding young Monty; smooth, well-balanced and elegant, this is far more a bordeaux-like wine than an 98% calicab. After 4 hours in the decanter the wine developed an off sour-like aftertaste, but earlier on this was just excellent.
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5/20/2008 - Li6 wrote: 93 Points
Superchewy, with copious blue and black fruit. Somewhat impenetrable at this point; I would cellar this for at least 3-5 years before opening again. Montelena rep says this will last 20+ years, and I believe it.
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4/29/2008 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
A Visit to Chateau Montelena: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet color. Aromas of red currants, spice, cassis dark fruit, licorice and oak. Flavors of black fruit, currant, licorice and black cherries glide across the palate. Seamless, with a finish lasting for over a minute. $125. 94-95 pts.
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4/5/2008 - ScottGoodwin wrote:
The nose is a little green and a little closed. But it had a little mint and a little funky barnyard odor which I enjoy. Super silky and smooth tannins that are really well integrated. Great acidity and perfect balance. Less fruit forward than some others in the tasting. A little mroe Old World. Ranked it #6.
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3/13/2008 - yotaiwan wrote: 93 Points
fresh smooth and elegant, deep purple wine with good concentration.
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